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JUST IN: Supreme court dismisses trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha in Kudirat Abiola’s murder
The Supreme Court has dismissed the trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), the former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha in the murder of late politician, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Kudirat Abiola was the wife of the late businessman cum politician, Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election that was annulled by former President Ibrahim Babangida.
Mrs Kudirat Abiola was, however, murdered in Lagos in the nationwide crisis that followed the annulment and in the course of her persistent struggle to get the annulment reversed by the military.
The trial of Al-Mustapha on the murder charges brought against him by the Lagos State government was, however, put to rest on Thursday by a 5-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji.
At the proceedings where the Lagos State was slated to re-open the trial, no legal representation was made while no process was filed since 2014 when order to re-open the case was granted in favour of the state government.
When the matter was called, Paul Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria stood for Al-Mustapha and informed the Justices that Lagos has not taken any step to implement the order granted it in 2014 to re-open the trial.
He said that not even a notice of appeal was filed by Lagos as the appellant to demonstrate its seriousness to prosecute the trial.
The senior lawyer informed the Apex Court that in 2014 when order to re-open the trial was granted, Lagos was issued a 30 day ultimatum to file its notice of appeal.
Daudu explained that more than nine years after, nothing was done to comply with the order.
He therefore urged the Court to hold that the appellant has abandoned the case and should be dismissed in its entirety.
Justice Uwani Aba-Aji, who presided over the matter sought to know if Lagos was served with hearing notice, the question that was answered in the affirmative by the Registrar of the Court.
In a brief ruling, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision agreed that Lagos has lost interest in the matter and consequently abandoned it.
Justice Aba-Aji held that nine years was long enough for the appellant to have filed notice of appeal and the appeal in the matter.
Besides, the Court expressed disgust that no legal representation was made by the state government while no information was made available to the Court and the respondent.
Consequently, the matter marked SC/CR/45/2014 was dismissed.
Another matter by the Lagos governor marked SC/CR/6/2014 was also dismissed on the same ground.
The Supreme Court had in 2014 in a brief ruling on the application by Lagos State for permission to re-open the case out of time, granted the request for the Lagos to challenge the Court of Appeal decision of July 12, 2013 that discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha from the murder case.
The then Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen in the ruling of a panel of seven Justices ordered Lagos State to file its notice of appeal within 30 days.
The decision of Justice Onnoghen on the Lagos application argued by Osunsanya Oluwayemisi, a Senior State Counsel in the Lagos Ministry of Justice followed the consent of Al-Mustapha’s lawyer, Mr. Joseph Dauda SAN, not to oppose the application.
The acting CJN had said that by the decision of the apex court, the time for Lagos to appeal against the findings of the Court of Appeal on the celebrated murder case has been extended from July 12, 2013 when the Court of Appeal judgment was delivered till January 7, 2014.
By the granted permission in 2014, the coast became cleared for the Lagos to challenge the no guilty verdict granted in favour of the military officer by the Court of Appeal in 2013
In the then move to re-open the case, the Lagos State government had sought to file a notice of appeal out of the time at the Supreme Court asking for the permission of the court to allow it to challenge the Appeal Court findings of Justices Amina Adamu Augie, Rita Nosakhare Pemu and Fatimo Omoro Akinbami on ground of mis-carriage of Justice in the matter.
The state had in the application prayed the apex court to allow it to exercise its constitutional right to test the validity and correctness of the decision of the Appeal Court.
It claimed that it wants to raise its ground of appeal on arguable legal and factual issues especially the question of whether there is any direct or circumstantial evidence establishing the guilt passed on Al-Mustapha in the murder case.
It justified its lateness in filing the appeal on the ground that it set up two legal teams to review the circumstances of the case and the verdict of the Court of Appeal.
The government said that it took a long time for the two legal teams to present their findings and recommended that an appeal case can be filed and sustained.
The Lagos State Government said that it will ask the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which on July 12, 2013 discharged and acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, in the murder case of late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
In place of the Appeal Court decision, the state government said that it will plead with the apex court to uphold and restore the death sentence by hanging placed on the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the former dictator and late Head of State, General Sani Abacha by a Lagos High Court on January 30, 2012.
Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha and one Lateef Shofolahan were arraigned before a Lagos high court on two-count criminal charge of conspiracy to commit murder and the murder of the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996 in Lagos State.
In the judgment of the high court delivered on January 30, 2012 by Justice Moji Dada, the accused persons were found culpable as charged and sentenced them to death by hanging.
However at the Court of Appeal approached by Al-Mustapha on April 27, 2012 for the review of the trial and the conviction, the 3-member appellate court Justices in a unanimous judgment of July 12, 2013 voided the decision of the high court, set it aside and discharged and acquitted the accused on the ground that the evidence against them was not strong enough to warrant the death sentence.
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The Kano State Government has announced that the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, will lead this year’s Eid-el-Fitr Durbar, even as it unveiled strict guidelines to prevent a breakdown of law and order during the celebrations.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The government said the decision, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, followed credible intelligence reports indicating attempts by some individuals to create unrest during the Sallah period.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, the government said it remained committed to preserving Kano’s cultural heritage but would prioritise peace and security.
According to the statement, Hawan Idi (Eid Durbar) will be conducted by Emir Sanusi from the Kofar Mata Eid Ground through designated routes to Gidan Shettima, terminating at Kofar Fatalwa of the emir’s palace.
It added that Hawan Nasarawa would be held in a modified form without horseback displays, while Hawan Daushe, Hawan Fanisau and Hawan Dorayi have been suspended for the time being in the interest of public safety.
The government said all security agencies had been directed to intensify surveillance and ensure strict compliance with the directives before, during and after the festive period.
It urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding and cooperative with security agencies, while cautioning against the spread of unverified information.
The government further assured the public of its commitment to a peaceful and hitch-free Sallah celebration, wishing Muslims in the state a joyous Eid-el-Fitr.
The Durbar, a centuries-old cultural procession, has been thrown into uncertainty following conflicting statements from government officials on whether it will hold this year, given the unresolved legal battle between Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero.
While Governor Yusuf reinstated Sanusi II in 2024, Bayero continues to contest his dethronement in court, leaving the emirship in dispute.
The government recently hinted that the stool controversy would soon be resolved.
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Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has dismissed comments by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over what he described as transactional politics and activism.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
PUNCH Online reports that Sowore’s comment followed a viral video in which the activist criticised what he described as “transactional politics” among some regional agitators and influencers, accusing them of aligning with political actors for personal or material benefit.
In the video, Sowore appeared to reference Igboho, suggesting that his recent political positions, including support for President Bola Tinubu’s potential re-election bid, reflected what he termed “amala politics” — a colloquial expression often used to imply opportunistic or interest-driven engagement rather than principled activism.
Igboho, in a statement issued by his media aide, Olayomi Koiki, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Tuesday, criticised Sowore for allegedly describing his activism as “amala politics” in a recent viral video circulating on social media.
He described the comment as an inconsequential rant that should be ignored by the public.
Igboho argued that his agitation for improved security in the South-West and his support for the second-term bid of President Bola Tinubu in 2027 were constitutional rights aimed at promoting the collective interests of the Yoruba people and the development of Nigeria.
He said, “We strongly reject the characterisation of Igboho’s activism as transactional. Such a myopic position misrepresents the intent and focus of our agitation on effective grassroots security in the South-West and Nigeria as a whole.
“How many protests did Sowore organise to push for my freedom? Sowore’s claim of fighting for the masses contradicts his alleged daily lodging expenses of N450,000 at a popular Lagos hotel.
“I cannot be compelled to endorse political figures such as Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar, or even align with Sowore’s political platform. I have the right to make independent political decisions based on the security and collective interests of the Yoruba people.”
He added that Igboho’s advocacy prioritises addressing insecurity across Yorubaland, including killings of farmers, kidnappings along highways and attacks on traditional rulers and royal institutions.
Koiki, however, clarified that these concerns form the basis of Igboho’s movement rather than any ambition for political office or revolutionary leadership.
The statement added, “While Sowore has consistently promoted nationwide revolution as a pathway to leadership, Igboho’s approach is rooted in protecting lives, land and property within Yoruba territory. This agitation is a response to real and ongoing threats faced by communities in the region.
“Latest security incidents in northern Nigeria, including reported explosions in Maiduguri on March 16, 2026, also raise questions about the broader effectiveness of long-term revolutionary advocacy.
“We challenge Sowore to assess the situation in his home state of Ondo State, considering the growing cases of banditry, kidnapping and attacks on rural communities.”
The statement added that the impact of insecurity on vulnerable groups, including farmers, traditional rulers, women and children, had been severe, with several communities reportedly affected.
“These realities reinforce Igboho’s long-standing call since 2020 for localised security measures and stronger regional protection strategies.
“Labelling our agitation and efforts as ‘amala politics’ undermines the urgency of the security crisis and the legitimacy of grassroots agitation,” the statement concluded
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The continuous detention of the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has sparked reactions from politicians and socio-political activists.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
DAILY POST reports that the former governor has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over an ongoing investigation into alleged financial impropriety when he was governor.
El-Rufai had earlier spent two nights in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before he was picked up by the Department of State Services and then later handed over to the ICPC.
His continuous detention has sparked outrage among citizens who are calling on the commission to immediately charge the former governor to court.
Popular socio-political activist, Aisha Yesufu, said in a post on X that “holding a citizen indefinitely without trial” is impossible.
According to her, “that is not justice. That is not accountability. That begins to look like persecution.
“Every Nigerian, no matter how powerful or unpopular, has the right to a fair hearing. That right is not a favour from the government. It is a constitutional guarantee. If El-Rufai committed crimes, then prosecute him. Nigerians will support that. But what we must never
Support is a system where the government can detain anyone endlessly, simply because it can.
“Today, it may be El-Rufai. Tomorrow, it could be anyone else who speaks or acts in a way that those in power do not like. A democracy must be better than that.
“So the message is simple: charge him in court or release him. Let justice be done openly, lawfully, and transparently. That is the only way a nation that claims to respect the rule of law should act”.
Similarly, an activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, in an interview he posted on X on Wednesday, demanded that the former governor be charged to court immediately, condemning El-Rufai’s incarceration.
“No matter the allegations, I think he should be charged in a court of competent jurisdiction so that he can face the music.
“All these things currently going on don’t look tidy to me”, he said.
On his part, Paul Ibe, a media aide to the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, lambasted ICPC for not charging the former governor to court.
In a statement on his X handle, Ibe accused the Commission of taking sides with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He wrote, “The matter of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai @elrufai has proven beyond measure that the ‘I’ in ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission) @icpcnigeria represents Illegal or Irresponsible.
“There’s nothing Independent about the Commission. They’re no different from all the other institutions of state that are standing on Tinubu’s mandate. The ICPC is nauseatingly pliable and has disgracefully made itself available in coercing members of the opposition into the ruling party”!
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