Former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has expressed relief, gratitude and forgiveness following the Supreme Court’s decision to finally close the murder case of late Mrs Kudirat Abiola, describing his nearly three-decade ordeal as painful but now firmly behind him.
Al-Mustapha spoke after the Supreme Court, on Thursday, January 22, 2026, dismissed the murder charges filed against him by the Lagos State Government over the June 4, 1997 killing of Mrs Abiola, wife of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.
A five-man panel of the apex court, led by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji, unanimously ruled that the Lagos State Government had effectively abandoned the case, having failed to reopen Al-Mustapha’s trial since 2014. The court held that the prolonged inaction showed a loss of interest in prosecuting the matter and consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety, bringing a final closure to the case 28 years after it began.
Reacting in a statement made available to journalists on Friday, Al-Mustapha said the judgment had vindicated his long-held claim of innocence, stressing that he had forgiven all those he accused of masterminding his arrest, prosecution and incarceration.
He described the 28 years of trial as traumatic and unforgettable, but said the Supreme Court’s decision had given him peace of mind and the resolve to move forward without bitterness.
“Having been vindicated by the apex court, I have put behind me my 28-year ordeal over a matter I knew nothing about,” he said, adding that he was now ready to “contribute my own quota to the well-being, development and advancement of Nigeria.”
Al-Mustapha thanked the Justices of the Supreme Court for what he described as a painstaking and just judgment, praising the judiciary for standing as the last hope of ordinary Nigerians. He also commended the Federal Government for what he called its non-interference throughout the long years of his trial.
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The former CSO expressed appreciation to Nigerians who stood by him during the prolonged legal battle, while sympathising with families of supporters who lost their lives or sustained injuries in the course of the trial. He also acknowledged the sacrifices of his parents, wife, children, relatives, legal team and associates, many of whom, he said, suffered harassment, intimidation and attacks because of their support for him.
Calling for national unity, Al-Mustapha urged Nigerians to let go of hatred and bitterness, stressing the need for collective effort in building a peaceful and prosperous country.
“Today’s Supreme Court verdict has vindicated me and proved my innocence,” he said. “As a Muslim, I have forgiven all those behind my ordeal. Together, we must work in unity to lift Nigeria higher.”
The Supreme Court ruling brings to an end one of Nigeria’s longest and most controversial criminal trials, closing a chapter that has lingered in the nation’s legal and political history for nearly three decades.