A Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on Lagos Island has set free Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, and others standing trial on charges of attempted murder of the publisher of the Guardian newspapers, Chief Alex Ibru.

Those standing trial alongside Al-Mustapha include, former Lagos state Police Commissioner, James Danbaba; former Zamfara state administrator, lt. Col. Jubrin Bala Yakubu; and former head of the Aso Rock anti-riot police, CSP Rabo Lawal.

The judge in his ruling on the no case submission instituted by Al-Mustapha and others, declared that the evidence on all the counts preferred against the four accused persons are thoroughly worthless, adding that there was no evidence of conspiracy as alleged.

Justice Mustapha Olokooba held that no prima facie case had been established against the accused persons. He therefore acquit and discharged them.

With this verdict, three of the accused persons would be free but Major Al-Mustapha would remain in detention to await the outcome of yet another case hanging on his neck, the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of late winner of Nigeria's June 12, 1993 elections, Chief Moshood Abiola.