Nigeria’s Supreme Court of Nigeria has brought to an end the long-running Kudirat Abiola murder case, dismissing attempts by the Lagos State Government to revive the prosecution of former military officer Hamza Al-Mustapha.
In a unanimous decision delivered on Thursday, a five-member panel of the apex court held that Lagos State had abandoned its appeal by failing to take any legal steps for nine years after being granted leave to challenge Al-Mustapha’s acquittal.
Lagos Appeal Declared Abandoned
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Uwani Aba-Aji faulted the state government for what the court described as an “inexcusable” delay, noting that Lagos was given 30 days in 2014 to file a notice of appeal but failed to do so.
Counsel to Al-Mustapha, Mr Paul Daudu (SAN), told the court that the state neither entered an appearance nor filed any process to activate the appeal, despite being served with hearing notices over several years.
Court records confirmed that Lagos State was aware of the proceedings but offered no explanation for its prolonged inaction. The court subsequently dismissed the appeal and struck out a related case filed by the state on the same grounds.
Background to the Kudirat Abiola Murder Case
Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to late military ruler Sani Abacha, was accused of involvement in the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of Nigeria’s annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Kudirat Abiola was shot dead in Lagos on June 4, 1996, during nationwide protests against the annulment of the election.
In January 2012, a Lagos High Court sentenced Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha and Lateef Shofolahan to death by hanging for conspiracy and murder. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the convictions in July 2013, citing weak and unreliable evidence, and discharged the accused.
Supreme Court Brings Final Closure
With Thursday’s ruling, the Supreme Court has effectively closed the Kudirat Abiola murder case, ending all remaining legal efforts to reopen the prosecution nearly three decades after the assassination.
The judgment marks the final chapter in one of Nigeria’s most consequential criminal trials linked to the June 12 political crisis.
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