By Raphael Ekpang
(Breaking News,Nigeria Today)As calls for the former Chief Security Officer to the late president, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha to be appointed Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC)’ chairman gathers momentum, his former aide, Lance Corporal Natty Otu (rtd) has also added his voice to the call, saying that if Al-Mustapha is made EFCC chairman, he will wipe out corruption in Nigeria.
Otu said, a call by the Northern youths and some nationalists for Al-Mustapha to be appointed EFCC chairman is not out of place, rather it is a call that president Jonathan must give a deep thought to, if his fight against corruption must yield it intended results.
He claimed that he met Al-Mustapha as far back 1989 at 13 Brigade Battalion, Calabar where he worked under him in Intelligence office for five years.
“As the Second In Command ‘2ic’ to Major Femi Alaga, Al-Mustapha was so obedient, sincere and loyal to his boss and above all, was dedicated to his duty. So if appointed EFCC chairman, I know he will fight corruption even with the last drop of his blood,” he said.
When asked if Al-Mustapha has the muscle to confront corrupt Nigerians in high places, he said the former CSO to the late dictator has the capacity to step on toes if it is for the national interest, because he is a nationalist with unbiased mind, and coupled with his years of experience in Intelligence unit in the Nigerian Army.
He noted further that his years with the late president Abacha as CSO would also be an added advantage to him, because by now he should have a clear knowledge of who corrupt Nigerians are.
On his loyalty to President Jonathan if given the position, Otu said his former boss (Al-Mustapha) is not known for double standard,adding that he is a straight forward human being who has respect and special loyalty for his masters. He opined that his loyalty and dedication to duty was the reason he served his late master without fear or favour from any quarters.
“If you want to know the kind of person Major Al-Mustapha is, give him a position ,then you will testify to his loyalty and his commitment to duty. He has no problem with any human being that was why when I heard of his detention, I travelled all the way from Cross River State to Lagos, where I visited him while in prison custody.
“His loyalty to his masters is never in doubt, if Dr. Jonathan appoints him EFCC chairman, I see it as the best thing that could happen to his administration in the fight against corruption, because corruption fears Major Al-Mustapha,” he stated.
The former CSO was arrested after Gen. Abacha’s death in 1998, and was recently released after 14 years in jail.
Under the EFCC law, the commission’s chairman must be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency, and must not be below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent. The person should also possess not less than 15 years cognate experience. If Al-Mustapha is appointed as EFCC chairman, he will be the first military officer to head commission as the past and present chairmen were drafted from the police.
