Abdulsalami Abubakar shares doubts over Abacha’s sudden death
Former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar has raised new questions about the circumstances surrounding Sani Abacha's death. In his autobiography, Abubakar describes feeling uneasy about the events leading up to and following the announcement of Abacha's passing. He recounts being mysteriously locked in a waiting room at the Presidential Villa with Ishaya Bamaiyi before learning of the death. The account also highlights the intense succession politics that immediately followed.
What we know
- Abdulsalami Abubakar said the hours around Sani Abacha's death on June 8, 1998, seemed suspicious and left him unsettled.
- He and Ishaya Bamaiyi were locked in a waiting room at the Presidential Villa for nearly an hour before being informed of Abacha's death.
- Abubakar noted that senior officials were more focused on succession than on Abacha's burial.
- He described the burial trip to Kano as a possible decoy to allow others to finalize succession plans in Abuja.
- Abubakar ultimately became Head of State after a tense meeting of the Provisional Ruling Council.
