By Tosin OLatokunbo
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha has revealed that over $9 billion left in the nation’s account by late maximum ruler, General Sanni Abacha, disappeared after his death.
General Abdusalami Abubakar took over government after Abacha died on June 8, 1998 and later handed over to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Within this short transition period, the chief security officer, CSO to the late head of state said huge funds belonging to the country could not be accounted for.
Mustapha said “within four years and eight months, he raised it to over $9bn. After his death, all the billions vanished in nine months.
The person that raised Nigeria’s image and enhanced security is now the subject of insult. But those who shared the money he left are still alive and untouchable.”
Speaking on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, monitored in Kaduna on Thursday, Al-Mustapha also disclosed that Abacha escaped eight coup attempts while he was in power.
He said “Let me tell you something about Abacha, eight coups were staged to topple him before he died.
Nigerians knew of only three coup attempts against Abacha, but there were eight coup attempts. He died when they were plotting the 8th,” Al-Mustapha said.”
He dismissed allegation that the former military ruler stole from the country. Mustapha has struggled to deny allegation that his boss looted the country, following the recovery of over $5 billion he hid in many off shore accounts. More are still be recovered.
According to him “I am surprised by the way Abacha is being blackmailed. I am surprised because when he assumed leadership, Nigeria had less than $2bn in the foreign reserve.
I have said it that there was a period Nigeria was to be sanctioned. So there were plans to keep money overseas so that Nigeria and Nigerians would not suffer when the sanction was imposed on the country.
We gathered emirs and chiefs from the South and from the North, together with VIPs of that time; those in government and those not in government. We met at a place called Camp Bassey Officers’ Mess in the Brigade of Guards.
It was there we deliberated on the threat to sanction Nigeria. Many decisions were made,” said Mustapha who was incarcerated after Abacha’s death.
