Almustapha Hamza

Hamza Al-Mustapha (born 27 July 1960) is a retired Nigerian Army major, intelligence officer, and politician who served as Chief Security Officer to Head of State General Sani Abacha from 1993 until Abacha's death on 8 June 1998. Born into a Hausa family and educated in Nguru, he attended the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1983.

From August 1985 to August 1990, he served around General Sani Abacha's command structure, with the profile noting later clarification that his role was Chief Security Officer rather than aide-de-camp. The same profile states that both Abacha and General Ibrahim Babangida placed strong confidence in him and granted him broad authority relative to some senior officers.

Trained in military intelligence, Al-Mustapha held command postings in internal affairs and military intelligence institutions, including SG-DMI, 82 Division, Army Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, and The Presidency. The profile credits him with counter-intelligence work, investigations into at least two coup attempts, and operations in Chad, Liberia, Bakassi, Gambia, and Sierra Leone, and records his statement that he swore to protect the Head of State, family, and seat of government. After Abacha seized power in 1993, he headed regime security from 17 November 1993 to 8 June 1998 and oversaw elite security structures alongside agencies such as the NSA office, NIA, DMI, and SSS.