Traditional ruler of Ochiri Ozuo 1 of Ejezie autonomous community Arondizogu Ideato, Imo state, Sir Maxwell Kanu has praised the ruling of Appeal Court that threw out the appeal filed by Lagos state against the former Chief Security Officer to the late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos had on Friday struck out an application filed by the Lagos State government seeking leave to appeal the judgment, which acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan of complicity in the gruesome murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
Kudirat, wife of the winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, late M.K.O Abiola, was killed on the street of Lagos in a struggle to actualise the mandate given to her husband by Nigerians.
It would also be recalled that Al-Mustapha Abacha, and Shofolahan, former aide to late Alhaja Kudirat, were sentenced to death on January 30, 2012, by Justice Mojisola Dada of a Lagos High Court. But the verdict was on July 12, 2013 upturned by the Appeal Court.
Sir Kanu, who is also the chairman, Agura Hotel, Abuja, noted that the court’s action had again vindicated Major Al-Mustapha, noting that his experience in detention had made him a peace ambassador in the country.
He stressed that his current peace drive was worthy of commendation and emulation, saying that the drive had restored him back to the position he deserved.
“He is sacrificing a lot now by that drive for peace. This initiative by God’s grace has restored him back to the position which he deserves.
“I said let me come to embrace him and encourage him and further assure him that this nation requires people like him in the present day Nigeria because without peace we leave nothing for our children. The generation unborn will reward him in fold by this and I stand by him”.