Mariam Abacha, wife of Nigeria’s former Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, has asked Nigerains to stop lying against her later husband, saying he never looted Nigeria’s treasury.
In an interview on TVC’s Politics on Sunday hosted by Femi Akande, Mrs. Abacha described the accusations against her late husband as unfair and rooted in misinformation.
Abacha was Nigeria’s military ruler and commander-in-chief of the armed forces from 1993 to 1998. He died on June 8, 1998.
Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.
..
The federal government has announced recovery of tranches of monies reportedly stashed by Abacha in foreign banks.
As of 2020, over $3.624 billion of the Abacha loot had been recovered. The recoveries were made by four administrations.
In May 2022, the United Kingdom said it recovered $23 million taken out of Nigeria illegally by Abacha’s associates and family.
About three months later, the United States returned another $20 million to Nigeria as part of the loot traced to Abacha.
In 2023, France returned $150 million Abacha loot to Nigeria.
Speaking during the television interview, Mrs Abacha said Abacha demanded concrete proof that her husband stashed public funds in foreign accounts. “Who is NAIJAONPOINT of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad?” she asked.
She further claimed that the funds her husband reportedly secured for Nigeria “vanished” shortly after his death.
“And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that,” she told TVC in a recent interview, implying mismanagement by subsequent administrations.
Questioning the motivations behind the continued focus on her husband’s legacy, she said, “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.”
Mrs. Abacha also criticised the media, urging journalists to “educate the people” rather than “bastardise people.”
Don’t miss out on any real-time information. Join our WhatsApp group to stay updated.
..
She added, “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.”