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Aliyu Mohammed Gusau

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In this article, the surname is Mohammed Gusau, not Gusau.

Lieutenant General
Aliyu Mohammed Gusau
Minister of Defence
In office
5 March 2014 – 29 May 2015
PresidentGoodluck Jonathan
Preceded byOlusola Obada
Succeeded byMansur Dan Ali
Chief of Army Staff
In office
September 1993 – November 1993
Preceded bySalihu Ibrahim
Succeeded byChris Alli
National Security Adviser
In office
8 March 2010 – 18 September 2010
PresidentGoodluck Jonathan
Preceded byAbdullahi Sarki Mukhtar
Succeeded byKayode Are
In office
29 May 1999 – 1 June 2006
PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo
Preceded byAbdullahi Mohammed
Succeeded byAbdullahi Sarki Mukhtar
In office
January 1993 – August 1993
PresidentIbrahim Babangida
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byIsmaila Gwarzo
Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy
In office
February 1992 – January 1993
Preceded byGarba Duba
Succeeded byMohammed Balarabe Haladu
Director of the National Security Organisation
In office
September 1985 – July 1986
PresidentIbrahim Babangida
Preceded byMohammed Lawal Rafindadi
Succeeded byNSO Dissolved
Chief of Defence Intelligence
In office
January 1985 – August 1985
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byHalilu Akilu
Personal details
Born (1943-05-18) 18 May 1943 (age 81)
Gusau, Northern Region, British Nigeria
(now in Zamfara State, Nigeria)
Political partyPeoples Democratic Party
ChildrenMahdi Mohammed Gusau
Alma materNigerian Defence Academy
Royal College of Defence Studies
Military service
Allegiance Nigeria
Branch/service Nigerian Army
Years of service1964–1993
Rank Lieutenant general
Battles/warsNigerian Civil War

Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (born 18 May 1943) is a Nigerian general and statesman. He has held several high level national security, military and intelligence offices, and has participated in several military coups, playing a central role in founding the Fourth Nigerian Republic.

He was most recently the Minister of Defence, and has served as National Security Adviser to three presidents; he was also the Chief of Army Staff during Ernest Shonekan and briefly Sani Abacha's regime, headed different intelligence agencies, and was commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy.[1]

Early life

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Aliyu Mohammed was born on 18 May 1943 in Gusau, Zamfara State.[2] The army added his birthplace to his name, making "Aliyu Mohammed Gusau", to distinguish him from another General, Aliyu Mohammed. Although Aliyu does not himself use Gusau in his name, it has been widely adopted by the media.[3]

Military career

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In 1964, he enrolled as an officer cadet at the Nigerian Defence Academy and was commissioned three years into the Nigerian Army as a second lieutenant. In 1967, he fought during the Nigerian Civil War.[4]

He was Commander of 9 Infantry Brigade, Abeokuta (April 1976 – July 1978), Adjutant General of 2 Mechanised Division (July 1978 – September 1979) and Director of Personnel Services, Army Headquarters (October 1979 – November 1979).[2]

Second Republic

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From November 1979 to December 1983, Aliyu was Director of Military Intelligence (DMI).[5] He played an important role in the coup that ousted President Shehu Shagari and the Second Nigerian Republic on 31 December 1983 and brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power.[3]

Military juntas of 1983–1993

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Main article: Nigerian military juntas of 1966–79 and 1983–98 § Second Junta (1983–1999)

Following the coup he was proposed as overall head of Intelligence, with the support of Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Babangida, but the appointment was opposed by Buhari.[6] Buhari confirmed Shagari's appointee Muhammadu Lawal Rafindadi as director of the National Security Organization (NSO), and dismissed Aliyu from the DMI, replacing him with Colonel Halilu Akilu. Aliyu was sent on a training course at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom.[7]

Aliyu was a player in the coup of 27 August 1985, when Babangida replaced Buhari. In the lead-up, due to the influence he had acquired as DMI, Aliyu was placed under intense surveillance and in turn placed pressure on the coup leaders to act swiftly.[8]

After the coup, Aliyu was appointed Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and Acting Director-General of the National Security Organisation (NSO) from September 1985 to August 1986, then Coordinator on National Security from August 1986 to December 1989.[2] He reorganised the security and intelligence apparatuses, which had fallen in disarray under Rafindadi during the Buhari regime, breaking up the NSO into three organisations: State Security Services (SSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).[9]

Aliyu was appointed General Officer Commanding 2 Mechanised Division in Ibadan from December 1989 to August 1990; and Chief of Administration, Defence Headquarters, in Lagos from August 1990 to February 1992. He was Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna from February 1992 to January 1993.[2]

Aliyu became National Security Advisor in January 1993, and was promoted to Chief of Army Staff when Babangida passed control to the short-lived civilian government of the Nigerian Third Republic in August 1993.[10]

In November 1993, in a bid to consolidate his power General Sani Abacha removed Aliyu as Chief of Army Staff replacing him with General Chris Alli.[10]

Staying power

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Retiring from the army, Aliyu became chairman & chief executive of Alpha Public Affairs Consultancy from December 1993 to May 1999. With wide influence in both civilian and military circles, Aliyu played a central role in ensuring that the transition to democracy in May 1999 went smoothly.[9]

Aliyu was the National Security Advisor in the crucial period when former political office holders in the armed forces were retired in June 1999, helping Obasanjo assume control of the armed forces as a civilian President. He remained National Security Advisor during most of Obasanjo's presidency.[10] He left office to compete in the 2006 People's Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for presidential candidate, coming third. The winner, Umaru Yar'Adua, went on to be elected president.[11]

On 8 March 2010, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced that he was removing Major-General Sarki Mukhtar as National Security Adviser and replacing him with Aliyu.[12] A few days later, Aliyu met with the service chiefs in Abuja to discuss the Jos crisis and the security situation in the country. There were rumours that a review of senior army and police assignments could be underway.[13]

Speaking at a seminar in April 2010, Aliyu said the legal system seemed to promote crime and the law enforcement agencies appeared overwhelmed. He also said that efforts to fight corruption were perceived as selective and ineffective, and some of the agencies had credibility problems since their leaders had been accused of corruption.[14] In April 2010, Aliyu announced his presidential nomination to be a candidate in the 2011 presidential elections.[15]

Personal life

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His son Mahdi Mohammed Gusau (born 1981) served as deputy governor of Zamfara State from 2019 till his impeachment in 2022.

Honours

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National honours

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Country Decoration Notes
Nigeria Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR); Third highest national honour in Nigeria.

Foreign honours

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Country Decoration Notes
Germany Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (OM);[16] National honour in Germany. Awarded for merit
South Korea Order of National Security Merit;[17] "Outstanding meritorious services in the interest of national security"
South Africa National Intelligence Service Medal, Gold South African intelligence service medal
Ethiopia Grand Collar of the Order of Emperor Haile Selassie Ethiopian award named after Emperor Haile Selassie

Legacy

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Gusau Institute

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Aliyu founded the Gusau Institute in Kaduna, donating his private library and publications, to the research centre to promote national development.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Auduson, Ibrahim (9 March 2010). "The Return of General Aliyu Gusau". Daily Trust. Retrieved 21 April 2010 – via allAfrica.
  2. ^ a b c d Ajani, Jide (13 March 2010). "Protector of the State – the Role of Aliyu Mohammed Gusau As NSA". Vanguard. Retrieved 21 April 2010 – via allAfrica.
  3. ^ a b Mayah, Emmanuel (16 December 2006). "Gusau: Return of the spy master". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Biography of Aliyu Gusau Mohammed". Nigerian Biography. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  5. ^ Jide Ajani (13 March 2010). "Protector of the State – the Role of Aliyu Mohammed Gusau As NSA". Vanguard. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  6. ^ Maxwell Oditta (12 March 2010). "Gusau – Return of Another Tactician". Daily Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  7. ^ Emmanuel Mayah (16 December 2006). "Gusau: Return of the spy master". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  8. ^ Omoigui, Nowa. "The Palace Coup of August 27, 1985 (Part 1)". Dawodu. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  9. ^ a b Ezechukwu, Uche (5 December 2006). "Gusau's Entrance Changes Presidential Landscape". Elendu Reports. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  10. ^ a b c Maxwell Oditta (12 March 2010). "Gusau – Return of Another Tactician". Daily Independent. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  11. ^ Macaulay, Femi (14 March 2010). "Gusau, protector of power who may yet wear the crown". The Nation. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  12. ^ Auduson, Ibrahim (9 March 2010). "Nigeria: The Return of General Aliyu Gusau". Daily Trust. Retrieved 29 August 2024 – via allAfrica.
  13. ^ Alli, Yusuf (12 March 2010). "Gusau, service chiefs meet in bid to stop violence". The Nation. Archived from the original on 13 March 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  14. ^ Ikuomola, Vincent (19 April 2010). "Gusau faults banking reforms". The Nation. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  15. ^ Omipidan, Ismail (20 April 2010). "2011 Presidency: Gusau will run campaign – Group". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  16. ^ "The role of Aliyu Mohammed Gusau as NSA| IMG". www.ijawmonitor.org. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  17. ^ "The role of Aliyu Mohammed Gusau as NSA| IMG". www.ijawmonitor.org. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  18. ^ "A visit to The Gusau Institute". TheCable. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
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