Maryam Abacha, widow of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has defended her late husband’s legacy, insisting that he saved money for Nigeria.
In an interview with TVC, Abacha challenged the long-standing narrative that her husband looted billions of dollars during his time in power.
She demanded evidence to support the claims that he hid stolen funds in foreign accounts.
According to the former First Lady, her husband saved money for Nigeria, but was later misappropriated after his death.
Addressing the issue, Abacha said: “Who is NAIJAONPOINT of the monies that were being stashed?” Maryam asked.
“Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad? 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?
“I pray for Nigerians. I pray for all of us. I pray that we should have goodness in our hearts. We should stop telling lies and blaming people.
“Why are we so bad towards each other? Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian, or somebody is nice or… It’s not fair.
“I think the press should try, the press, you, the press, should try to educate the people.
“You are here to educate the people, to inform the people and to entertain. You are here to help the country. You are not here to bastardise people. People are not that bad. 27 years ago and you are still talking about Abacha. He must be very powerful and loved by Nigerians. We thank God for that.”
Reacting to a comment that Nigeria’s economy was more stable during her husband’s rule, marked by rising foreign reserves and lower external debt, Maryam Abacha pushed back against accusations of corruption.
She questioned the credibility of those who insist that the late General Sani Abacha looted public funds, urging them to provide concrete evidence to support their claims.
She further stated: “So, where did he steal the money from? So where would he have stolen the money from?
“And because Nigerians are fools, they listen to everything,” she said.
“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.
“Even the single man on the street is very important. We are all human beings, for goodness sake. All these wahala should stop. Babangida cannot make things or unmake things.”