Hamza Abdullahi (2 March 1945 – 3 January 2019) was a Nigerian statesman and military administrator who served as Governor of Kano State from 1984 to 1985; and

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is a Nigerian ministry that administers the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is headed by a minister, who is appointed by the president, and assisted by a permanent secretary, who is a car ...

from 1986 to 1989.

Early life

Hamza Abdullahi was born in Hadejia (now in

Jigawa State Jigawa (; 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤮𞤤 𞤶𞤭𞤺𞤢𞤱𞤢) is a state in Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. Jigawa was created on 27 August 1991, under the General Ibrahim Babangida military administration. Jigawa State was ...

) and was educated in Kano.

Military career

He joined the Nigeria Air Force in 1964, and attended the Nigeria Air Force Tactical Training Wing in Kaduna. From 1964 to 1966, he completed the Aircraft Technical Officer's Course in

West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...

, and later took part in the

Nigerian Civil War The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Biafran War, Nigeria-Biafra War, or Biafra War, was fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a Secession, secessionist state which had declared its independen ...

effort. After the war, he was the Air Provost Marshal, Air Provost Group from 1971 to 1980; and also attended the Royal Military Police Training Centre in

Chichester Chichester ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in the Chichester District, Chichester district of West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher ...

in 1974. He participated in the 1975 military coup d'état which brought General

Murtala Mohammed Murtala Ramat Muhammed (; 8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian military officer and the fourth head of state of Nigeria. He led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the military regime of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi a ...

to power; and from 1980 to 1984 was the Group Commander, Ground Training Group in Kaduna.

Military governor

Following the 1983 military coup d'état, the military head of state General Muhamadu Buhari appointed Hamza Abdullahi military Governor of Kano State (now

Kano State Kano (Hausa language, Hausa: ) is one of the 36 States of Nigeria, states of Nigeria, located in the Northern Region, Nigeria, northern region of the country. According to the national census done in 2006, Kano State is the List of Nigerian st ...

and

) in January 1984. His administration was tasked by the Federal Military Government to implement the War Against Indiscipline campaign in

, which was flagged off by General Tunde Idiagbon. As military governor, Hamza Abdullahi later took part in the 1985 military coup d'état which brought General

Ibrahim Babangida Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (born 17 August 1941) is a Nigerian statesman and military dictator who ruled as military president of Nigeria from 1985 when he orchestrated a coup d'état against his military and political arch-rival Muhammadu ...

to power.

Federal minister

In September 1985, he was appointed Minister of Works and Housing. In this role he oversaw the construction of the

Abuja Abuja (; , ) is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, strategically situated at the geographic midpoint of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As the seat of the Federal G ...

- Kaduna- Kano dual carriage road. In 1986, following the General Mamman Vatsa abortive coup, Hamza Abdullahi was appointed

and a member of the ruling

Armed Forces Ruling Council Nigeria's Armed Forces Ruling Council was established by Ibrahim Babangida following the 1985 Nigerian coup d'état that overthrew Muhammadu Buhari Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician who served as the presid ...

. He was ordered to ensure the successful relocation of the seat of government from

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

. His goal was to have 75% of the ministries in Abuja by 1990, the target date for the official relocation of the capital from

. During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of Phase 1: with the main districts of Maitama and Asokoro and several federal monuments including the city gate; the Aso Rock Presidential Villa and the military barracks.

Later life

In October 1988, he was promoted to

Air Vice Marshal Air vice-marshal (Air Vce Mshl or AVM) is an air officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries which have historical British infl ...

the third highest rank in the

Nigerian Air Force The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces, established four years after the nation became independent. As at 2021, the air force is one of the largest in A ...

, and retired two months later. In retirement, he lived a private life – and was a director at Julius Berger, a German construction and engineering company; Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Limited, a Nigerian-German construction company. He was widely respected for his military professionalism and disciplinary pedigree, he was an associate and close friend of General

Death

He died on 3 January 2019, in a German hospital after a protracted illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdullahi, Hamza 1945 births 2019 deaths Nigerian Air Force air marshals Governors of Kano State Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria)