Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of
State, Gen. Sani Abacha, on Thursday said he would rehabilitate victims of
insurgency and communal clashes in Nigeria.
Al-Mustapha told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that such
effort was necessary to achieve sustainable peace.
He said that the inauguration of APUDI Institute for Peace Studies and
Social Rehabilitation (APIS) was part of his contribution to peace
building and enhancement in Nigeria.
NAN reports that APIS is a training, consulting, research, re-orientation
and rehabilitation centre of Al-Mustapha Peace, Unity and Development
Initiative (APUDI).
It also reports that Al-Mustapha recently inaugurated the APIS-University
of Abuja Study Centre, in Abuja to give Nigerians the opportunity to
acquire knowledge on peacebuilding and national development.
Al-Mustapha said apart from APIS, he had established many outfits that
organised skills acquisition programme for women, widows and orphans to
get certificates and token to establish themselves.
“ When I regained my freedom in 2013, I found it necessary to re-link with
many parts of Nigeria for obvious reasons.
“It was in that process that I was able to see in many communities the
victims of insurgency, victims of communal clashes unattended to, and our
youths without education.
“So, we began to unite and then to see that we did something on our own;
many patriotic friends of mine came along, and we joined hands together to
create a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“ We have been doing this silently, but the time has come to inaugurate an
educational institution for our population in enhancing peace education,
peace sustenance, peace building and bridge building,’’ he said.
Al-Mustapha said that APIS was partnering many organisations and agencies
in Nigeria and overseas to offer courses that were not in the nation’s
universities’ curriculum at a cheap rate.
He said that the institute was affiliated and accredited with other
professional and research bodies, both locally and internationally.
According to him, these include the CGS International, Center for
International Private Enterprise (CIPE) Washington D.C, University of
NICOSA Cyprus, University of Abuja and United Nation Institute for
Disarmament and research (UNIDIR).
NAN reports that in 2014, the institute developed a robust training manual
for peace building in Nigeria including that of disarmament and control of
light and small arms.
The manual was officially unveiled during the first International
conference on “Community conflicts and youth militancy in Northern Nigeria
and the challenge of Democratic practice in Nigeria”.
It was organised by APUDI from Nov. 4 to 6, 2014 at the Shehu Yar’Adua
Centre, Abuja.
The manual has been in use for peace building amongst various communities
in Southern Kaduna, Jos and Wukari in Taraba.
