Meet Nigeria's MOST Powerful 'Spy Master'

Former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, has always been referred to as the ‘evil genius’ for his rise in the military till when he overthrew his then Commander-in-chief, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to become Head of State in 1993. Babangida ruled Nigeria for 8 years, until public unrest forced him to step down in 1993, after annulling the June 12 presidential election.

While the gap-toothed general was the face of a revolt against the old guard, one man remain at the background plotting all the moves that ensure their legacy last for as long as it can. This is the story of General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, the born spy master, who changed the face of intelligence gathering in Nigeria.

Aliyu Mohammed is a retired Lieutenant General of the Nigerian army, who served in many senior level security, defence, and military roles.

He was so powerful and connected that he remained in the corridors of power for decades, serving as Minister of Defence, and as National Security Adviser to two different presidents.

General 

Aliyu Mohammed Gusau(born May 18 1943) is a Nigerian statesman and military general. He has held several high level national security, military and intelligence offices. He has participated in several military coups, and played 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 commander of the 

Nigerian Defence Academy

Early life 

Aliyu Mohammed was born on 18 May 1943 in 

Gusau 

, 

Zamfara State 

. 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.

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 

Rise to power

Military command

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).

Second Republic 

From November 1979 to December 1983, Aliyu was Director of Military Intelligence (DMI). 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.

Military juntas of 1983–1993 Edit

Second Junta Edit

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. 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 

Third Junta

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.

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. 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).

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.

Third Republic

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.

Fourth Junta

In November 1993, in a bid to consolidate his power General 

Sani Abacha 

replaced Aliyu with 

Chris Alli 

as chief of army staff. Retiring from the army, Aliyu became chairman & chief executive of Alpha Public Affairs Consultancy from December 1993 to May 1999.

Obasanjo's Presidency

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. 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. 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.

Goodluck Jonathan's Presidency

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.

Jonathan’s plan to handover the Defence ministry to Aliyu received stiff opposition especially from the military top brass during his full term as president.

Unconfirmed reports later revealed that the sack of security chiefs was one of the conditions given by the former NSA Aliyu Gusau, in accepting to be the minister of Defence. Also as part of his conditions, the former Director of the Military Intel also requested that all the new service chiefs must report to him directly, a request Jonathan accepted.

But his appointment was short lived as Gusau’s powers were challenged by the military commanders that he had to send a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan threatening to quit if the Commander-in-Chief failed to rein in chiefs of defence, army, navy and airforce.

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. 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. In April 2010, Aliyu announced his presidential nomination to be a candidate in the 

2011 presidential elections.

Aliyu founded the Gusau Institute in 

Kaduna 

, donating his private library and publications, to the research centre to promote national development.

Aliyu Gusau ‘Reunites’ Obasanjo And Atiku In Abuja

In 2018, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, shook hands for the first time in a long while, when they both honoured Gen. Aliyu Gusau’s invitation to attend The Gusau Institute event on ‘A New Era for China-Africa Cooperation’ at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, The meeting set the tone for their reconciliation in 2018.