Maryam Abacha, spouse of Nigeria’s former army ruler Basic Sani Abacha, says her husband preserved the nation’s wealth however that it was successive governments that looted it after his demise.
In an interview with TVC, Maryam denied allegations that the late head of state siphoned public funds and challenged the authorities to supply proof of any such looting.
“Who’s the witness of the monies that had been being stashed?” she requested. “Did you see the signature or the proof of any monies stashed overseas? And the monies that my husband saved for Nigeria, in a couple of months, the monies vanished. Persons are not speaking about that.”
Sani Abacha dominated Nigeria from 1993 till his demise in 1998. Within the years since, a number of Nigerian administrations have introduced the restoration of billions of {dollars} mentioned to be a part of the “Abacha loot” hidden in overseas accounts. By 2020, over $3.6 billion was reportedly recovered. The UK in 2022 returned $23 million allegedly taken out by Abacha’s associates and household. The US adopted with one other $20 million. In 2023, France repatriated $150 million to Nigeria.
Maryam questioned the credibility of those claims and described the narrative round her husband as unfair.
“Why are you blaming anyone? Is that tribalism or a non secular downside or what’s the downside with Nigerians?” she mentioned. “I pray for Nigerians. I pray for all of us. I pray that we should always have goodness in our hearts. We must always cease telling lies and blaming folks.”
She referred to the continued deal with her husband many years after his demise as an indication of his function in Nigeria’s previous.
“Persons are not that unhealthy. Twenty-seven years in the past and you’re nonetheless speaking about Abacha. He have to be very highly effective and beloved by Nigerians. We thank God for that,” she mentioned.
Talking in regards to the financial system throughout Abacha’s regime, she claimed that it was comparatively secure and questioned the theft allegations.
“So, the place did he steal the cash from? So the place would he have stolen the cash from?” she requested.
She criticised Nigerians who, based on her, settle for official statements with out questioning.
“And since Nigerians are fools, they take heed to every little thing,” she mentioned. “Babangida doesn’t make Nigeria alone. Abacha doesn’t make Nigeria alone. Abiola and all people, no person is large enough for Nigeria. We’re all essential. Even the one man on the road is essential. We’re all human beings, for goodness sake. All these wahala ought to cease. Babangida can’t make issues or unmake issues.”
On the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, Maryam denied that her husband was accountable. She referred to Ibrahim Babangida’s memoir, the place Babangida wrote that the announcement was made by his second-in-command’s press secretary whereas he was in Katsina.
“All I do know is that the annulment was not carried out by my husband,” she insisted. “If it was him, meaning he was very highly effective… much more highly effective than the president. If the president was there and anyone else is asking the photographs, meaning Abacha was the best.”
She addressed the function of the media and urged journalists to deal with informing the general public with out focusing on people.
“I feel the press ought to attempt, the press, you, the press, ought to attempt to educate the folks,” Maryam mentioned. “You’re right here to coach the folks, to tell the folks and to entertain. You’re right here to assist the nation. You aren’t right here to bastardise folks.”
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