Former Chief Security Officer to late military dictator, Sani Abacha – Major Hamza al-Mustapha – has been compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Army owing to his unavailability for deployment for 14 years as he was away facing trial for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, a wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
According to a Punch correspondent who sighted a copy of the retirement letter, Al-Mustapha was retired from the army based on the provisions of Paragraph 09.02(c)(5) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Nigerian Armed Forces 2012 (Revised).
The letter indicated that the decision to retire Al-Mustapha was taken at a meeting held on Monday, August 5, 2013, more than a year after the Court of Appeal acquitted him while the letter itself was dated Monday, July 14, 2014 and stated that he had been in the army for 33 years and 11 days.
The letter, with reference number AHQ MS/G1/300/226 sighted “undeployability arising from restructuring and/or lack of establishment,” and commended his for demonstrating “good conduct in the discharge of your duties” throughout his service in the army.
The letter also read in part: “You are authorised to retain your substantive rank of Major. You are also entitled to gratuity and pension as well as Certificate of Military Service and Retired Officers’ Identity Card.
“You are entitled to your ceremonial dress, service dress and mess kit. However, you should wear uniforms corresponding to your rank at the time of retirement only when you are invited for military ceremonies; military weddings; memorial services of National Day celebration and Regimental dinners.”
