It has emerged that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha is driving the political vehicle to make Suleiman Abba the new Inspector General of Police.
Abba, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 7, served as Aide de Camp (ADC) to Mrs Maryam Abacha, during her First Ladyship to General Sani Abacha.
Jigawa-born Abba was also a key member of Al-Mustapha’s dreaded Strike Force.
After Abacha’s sudden death, a stupendously wealthy Abba managed to pay his way through the ranks to become Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and then AIG.
Al-Mustapha, Pointblanknews.com gathered, had exploited his relationship with the Presidency to push Abba’s candidacy for the plum job. When Jonathan didn’t appear convinced, Al-Mustapha recruited top northern traditional rulers into the campaign.
Interestingly, the outgoing IG has thrown his weight behind Abba’s candidacy. Abubakar had upon appointment as IG in turn appointed Abba chairman, Police Cooperative.
Each member of the over 370,000- strong police force contributes a minimum of N200 monthly, making the cooperative the largest and richest cooperative in Nigeria.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that several officers had raised questions on the running of the cooperative by Abba and his godfather, the retiring IG.
A source at the Ministry of Police Affairs said Abubakar’s support for Abba ” expected.”
He said, “AIG Abba has been MD Abubakar’s darling. During the Abacha days, the former greatly assisted the outgoing IG, who at the time was just a struggling officer.
“No sooner had MD been appointed IG that he brought his old pal (Abba), appointed him AIG and put him in charge of police cooperative, the fattest cash cow in the country.
“It is expected that having dipped your hands too much in the cooperative purse, you need a trusted friend to be IG and cover your tracks,” the source submitted.
Abubakar’s predecessor, Hafiz Ringim, is a muslim and from the same Jigawa State as Suleiman Abba. The retiring IG is from Zamfara, the same northwest zone with Ringim and Abba.
Should Jonathan succumb to pressure and appoint Abba the new police boss, offered a Presidency source, “Abba would be the third man in a row from the North west zone to become IG.”
Aside Kam Salem (Borno), Gambo Jimeta (Adamawa) and Aliyu Attah (Kogi), all past Inspector Generals of Police from the north have come from the north west zone.
The past IGs who hailed from the northwest zone include Mohammed D Yusuf (Katsina), Adamu Suleiman (Kano), Ibrahim Coomasie (Katsina), Hafiz Ringim (Jigawa), and outgoing Abubakar.
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