Haliru Akilu
{{short description|Nigerian spymaster}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Haliru Akilu
| honorific_prefix = Brigadier General
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1947|11|02}}
| death_date =
| birth_place = Madobi, Northern Region, British Nigeria
(now Madobi, Nigeria)
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| image =
| caption =
| office1 = Director of National Intelligence Agency
| term_start1 = 1990
| term_end1 = 1993
| predecessor1 = Albert Horsfall
| successor1 = Zakari Ibrahim
| office2 = Chief of Defence Intelligence
| term_start2 = January 1990
| term_end2 = September 1990
| predecessor2 = Babatunde Elegbede
| successor2 = Group Capt. I. Musa
| term_start3 = August 1985
| term_end3 = July 1986
| predecessor3 = Aliyu Gusau
| successor3 = Babatunde Elegbede
| serviceyears = 1967–1993
| rank = 20px Brigadier General
| unit =
| battles = Nigerian Civil War
| awards =
| laterwork =
| allegiance = {{flag|Nigeria}}
| branch = {{Army|Nigeria|size=23px}}
| alma_mater = Nigerian Defence Academy
| nationality = Nigerian
}}
Haliru Akilu (born 2 November 1947) is a Nigerian general who was Director of National Intelligence and Director of Military Intelligence at various times in the 1990s.{{Cite web|last=Admin|date=2016-09-22|title=AKILU, Brig Haliru (rtd.)|url=https://blerf.org/index.php/biography/akilu-brigadier-haliru-rtd/|access-date=2020-03-29|website=Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation|language=en-US}}
Early life
Akilu was born and educated in Kano State.
Military career
Akilu was commissioned in 1967 after he had attended the Nigerian Defence Academy. In 1969, he fought during the Nigerian Civil War as a company commander and was wounded. He later became, commander of the 146 Infantry Battalion that suppressed the Maitatsine religious riots.{{cite web|last1=Adigun|first1=Michael|title=AKILU, Brigadier Haliru (rtd.)|url=http://www.notablenigerians.com/?p=1162|website=Notable Nigerians|accessdate=2 August 2015|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911231425/http://www.notablenigerians.com/?p=1162|url-status=usurped}}
= Education =
He later attended Junior Staff College, Warminister (1973), Pakistan Command and Staff College (1979), King's College London (1983), and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru (1989).
= Military intelligence =
Akilu later joined the Directorate of Military Intelligence. As a lieutenant colonel, he took part from the conceptual stages of the 1983 military coup d'état which ousted the Second Nigerian Republic and installed to power Major-General Muhammadu Buhari.{{cite book|last1=Siollun|first1=Max|title=Siollun, Max. Soldiers of Fortune. Nigerian Politics from Buhari to Babangida 1983-1993|publisher=Cassava Republic Press, 2013|isbn=9789785023824|page=8}} He replaced General Aliyu Gusau as Director of Military Intelligence; and played a key role in the 1985 military coup d'état, which overthrew Muhammadu Buhari.{{Cite web|last=Akilu|first=Halilu|date=30 July 2016|title=My Experience Working with Buhari & IBB|url=https://issuu.com/newtelegraphonline/docs/saturday__july_30__2016_binder1|access-date=2020-03-29|website=Saturday Telegraph|language=en}} Following the coup, General Babangida (then Chief of Army Staff) exploited his closeness to Akilu and other graduates of the NDA's Regular Course 3 (Babangida was an NDA instructor in the early 70s).{{Cite web|last=Admin|date=2016-09-22|title=AKILU, Brig Haliru (rtd.)|url=https://blerf.org/index.php/biography/akilu-brigadier-haliru-rtd/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation|language=en-US}}
Akilu was strategically placed in the DMI as counterweight to Ambassador Mohammed Lawal Rafindadi, General Muhammadu Buhari’s ally in the national security structure.{{cite web|last1=Omoigui|first1=Nowa|title=Nigeria: The Palace Coup Of August 27, 1985 Part I|url=http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/MilitaryRule/Omoigui/PalaceCoup-1985.htm|accessdate=2 August 2015|website=Urhobo Historical Society|archive-date=8 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608090914/http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/militaryrule/omoigui/PalaceCoup-1985.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last1=Balogun|first1=M.J.|title=The Route to Power in Nigeria: A Dynamic Engagement Option for Current and Aspiring Leaders|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan, Sep 29, 2009|isbn=9780230100848|page=185}} Akilu's role in the Directorate of Military Intelligence served as counter-intelligence to the National Security Organisation. Akilu played a major coordinating role as (Director of Military Intelligence) in the 1985 military coup d'état that ousted the military head of state General Muhammadu Buhari and brought to power General Ibrahim Babangida
= Military regime =
Akilu was a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council from 1989 to 1993. Akilu worked alongside General Aliyu Gusau in reorganising the security and intelligence apparatuses, in order to consolidate power for the military regime. National Security Organisation was broken into three organisations: State Security Services (SSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA); and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) where he served as twice from August 1985 to July 1986 and January 1990 to September 1990.{{Cite web|title=Former Chief of Defence Intelligence {{!}} Defence Intelligence Agency|url=http://www.dia.gov.ng/former_cdis|access-date=2020-07-02|website=www.dia.gov.ng|archive-date=2020-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702203648/http://www.dia.gov.ng/former_cdis|url-status=dead}}
Akilu was believed to have played a controversial role in the assassination of Dele Giwa. He was accused of having spoken with Dele Giwa's wife and received his home address. Giwa later received a parcel from two men with the inscription – "From the office of the C-in-C" and was marked "secret and confidential" – opening the parcel, an explosion occurred and Dele Giwa was subsequently killed, investigations were conducted into the assassination but the murder remains unsolved.{{cite book|last1=Siollun|first1=Max|title=Soldiers of Fortune. Nigerian Politics from Buhari to Babangida 1983-1993|publisher=Cassava Republic Press, 2013|isbn=9789785023824|pages=102–103}} The case was taken to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Colonel Haliru Akilu vs. Chief Gani Fawehinmi.{{Cite web|title=LawPavilion Electronic Law Report (LPELR) - COL. HALILU AKILU v. CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI (NO.2)|url=http://www.lawpavilionpersonal.com/lawreportsummary.jsp?suite=olabisi@9thfloor&pk=SC.215/88%20-%20SC.216/88&apk=15134|access-date=2020-07-02|website=www.lawpavilionpersonal.com|archive-date=2020-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704101113/http://www.lawpavilionpersonal.com/lawreportsummary.jsp?suite=olabisi@9thfloor&pk=SC.215/88%20-%20SC.216/88&apk=15134|url-status=dead}}
Later career
After the 1993 military coup d'état, Akilu was retired by General Sani Abacha. In 2003, at the Oputa Panel the report concluded: "General Haliru Akilu and Colonel A. K. Togun are accountable for the untimely death of Dele Giwa by letter bomb. We recommend that this case be re-opened for further investigation in the public interest."{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2003|title=Human Rights Violation Investigative Committee Report|url=https://dawodu.com/oputa1.pdf|access-date=|website=}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chiefs of Defence Intelligence (CDI) Nigeria}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akilu, Haliru}}
Category:Nigerian Defence Academy alumni
Category:Chiefs of Nigeria Defence Intelligence Agency
Category:Participants in the 1983 Nigerian military coup
Category:Participants in the August 1985 Nigerian military coup