Maj. Al-Mustapha visits former Kirikiri prison controller

Culled From: Vanguard

Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late Gen Sanni Abacha, Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, Saturaday afternoon paid a thank you visit to retired Controller of Prison, in charge of Kirikiri prison, Mr. Iorbee Ihiagh in Makurdi.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that
Mr. Ihiagh was in charge of the
Kirikiri prison when Al-
mustapha was an inmate at the
detention facility in Lagos.

Maj. Al-Mustapha left, with
former Kirikiri Prison Controller,
Mr. Iorbee Ihiagh in Makurdi

The retired Prison officer was
also reported to have refused
releasing the former CSO to the
military authorities on allegation
of his involvement in a coup
d'état from the prison.

That singular action led to the
detention of the Prison officer
for two years by the then
military administration.

Speaking to journalist on why
the Maj. Al-Mustapha chose to
visit him in Makurdi, few days
after his release from prison, Mr.
Ihiagh said it could be in
appreciation of what I did at the
time he was in detension.

According to him, "At the time
Maj. Mustapha was in detention
at Kirikiri, I was the head of the
facility, it was at the time when
there was an allegation of coup
d'état and the then Army Chief,
Gen. Andrew Azazi requested
that Maj. Mustapha be released
to the military for questioning
on his role in the plot.

"But as a trained prison officer, I
declined their request on the
ground that there request was
not accompanied by a
reproduction warrant which
was a prerequisite for such
demands; though I risked my
carrier but it was the right thing
to do.

"And because I insisted that the
right thing must be done,
considering that if anything had
happened to him without
proper documentation for his
release I would been held
responsible, the authorities at
the time relieved me of my job
and detained me for two years.

"Luckily, after two years, I was
released from detention and my
rank restored, Mustahpa was
privy to all my travials at the
time, that is perhaps why, as a
God fearing man, he has come
to appreciate me for doing my
job as a patriotic Nigerian."

Attempts to talk to Maj. Al-
Mustapha failed as he insisted
that he would not talk or grant
any interviews to journalists.

Meantime, the former CSO who
was accompanied on the trip by
a large entourage including
Mohammed Abacha, son of
former Head of State, Gen. Sanni
Abacha, were led by their host,
to Jato Akaa, some five hours
drive from Makurdi, the home
town of former Minister for
Steel, Wantaregh Paul Unongo
Mohamed Abacha, where they
would pay homage to the elder
statesman