More than two decades after the death of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, his widow, Maryam Abacha, is speaking up—again defending her late husband’s legacy and insisting that the real looters came after him.
In a recent interview with TVC, Mrs Abacha challenged the long-standing narrative that her husband looted billions of dollars from the country’s treasury. According to her, the money General Abacha secured for the nation disappeared within months after his passing in 1998.
“The money that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the money vanished. People are not talking about that,” she said, pointing fingers at the administrations that came after him for allegedly squandering what was meant for the public good.
She also took a jab at the media and those accusing her husband of stashing billions abroad without solid proof. “Who is the witness of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad?” she asked.
Since Abacha’s death, successive Nigerian governments have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars from various foreign accounts in what has come to be known as the Abacha Loot. But his widow is not buying the story. She believes the constant vilification of her husband is politically and tribally motivated.
“Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians?” she asked, adding, “I pray for Nigerians. I pray for all of us. I pray that we have goodness in our hearts. We should stop telling lies and blaming people.”
Mrs Abacha also called on journalists to rise above sensationalism and use their platforms to educate rather than mislead the public.
“People are not that bad. Twenty-seven years ago, and you are still talking about Abacha. He must be very powerful and loved by Nigerians. We thank God for that,” she said with a mix of sarcasm and pride.
Looking back on her husband’s regime, she painted a picture of a stable economy under his watch, citing growing foreign reserves and manageable debt levels.
“So, where did he steal the money from? And because Nigerians are fools, they listen to everything,” she said, dismissing corruption allegations as baseless and unfair.
Calling for unity and shared responsibility in nation-building, she added: “Babangida doesn’t make Nigeria alone. Abacha does not make Nigeria alone. Abiola and everybody, nobody is big enough for Nigeria. We are all very important.”
Her remarks come at a time when Nigeria continues to battle inflation, insecurity, and a fragile economy—issues that continue to stir questions about the role of past leaders in shaping the nation’s current reality.
General Sani Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his sudden death on 8 June 1998, was succeeded by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who later handed over to a civilian government in 1999.
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