Maryam Abacha slams Gen Abdulsalami, says billions siphoned after Abacha’s death

Maryam Sani Abacha, widow of late maximum dictator and former Head of State General Sani Abacha, has made grave allegations against former Head of State retired General Abdulsalam Abubakar who came to power after the death of her husband.

She alleged that vast sums of money her husband allegedly set aside for Nigeria’s development mysteriously vanished from the Treasury shortly after he died in 1998.

The former First Lady accused Abubakar of being in the know as to what happened to the huge funds, and should be held accountable.

It could be recalled that Abacha was succeeded by General Abdulsalami Abubakar as Head of State. The latter embarked on a transition programme which led to a smooth handover of power to democratic government in 1999.

Maryam, who spoke with the press, urged Nigerians to confront the truth and stop spreading falsehoods about her late husband’s legacy.

According to her, her husband, Abacha kept some funds for Nigeria’s benefit.

“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.

She continued: “And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that.

“Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians?” she asked. “Why are we so bad towards each other? Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian… It’s not fair.”
Her allegations against the regime that succeeded her husband’s has raised a firestorm about the controversial financial dealings during her husband’s regime, which spanned from 1993 to 1998.

Abacha, known for his authoritarian rule, was accused of allegedly embezzling billions of dollars in public funds, with estimates ranging from $2 billion to $5 billion stashed in foreign accounts.