In a stunning and emotional revelation ,Maryam Sani Abacha, widow of the late military ruler General Sani Abacha, has made grave allegations against General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), the man who succeeded her husband as Nigeria’s Head of State in 1998.
Speaking to members of the press in a fiery exchange, the former First Lady accused Abdulsalami of being "in the know" about the vast sums of money that mysteriously disappeared from Nigeria’s Treasury shortly after Abacha's sudden death in office. She insisted that the monies were not looted, as widely reported, but rather deliberately set aside by her husband for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
“The monies that my husband kept for Nigeria… in a few months, they vanished!” Maryam said. “Why is no one asking what happened to those funds? Why are we not holding the right people accountable?”
She questioned the narrative that money was stashed abroad by her husband, challenging Nigerians and the international community to produce any concrete evidence, including signatures or documentation, to support such claims.
“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 pointedly.
“Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian… It’s not fair.”
A Shocking Accusation Against a Former Head of State
Maryam's statements have reignited a long-standing national controversy surrounding the financial legacy of General Sani Abacha, who ruled Nigeria with an iron grip from 1993 until his sudden death under mysterious circumstances in 1998.
Her direct finger-pointing at Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha and led the country into democracy in 1999, marks the first time a member of the Abacha family has openly accused a subsequent regime of "covering up" or benefiting from the disappearance of alleged national funds.
Political analysts are describing the outburst as “a bombshell of historical proportions,” as it challenges decades of established narrative that painted the Abacha regime as one of the most corrupt in Nigerian history — with over $3.6 billion reportedly recovered from Abacha-linked accounts in multiple countries, including Switzerland, the UK, and the US.
Nigerians React: "Time to Revisit the Past?"
Maryam’s revelations are already triggering mixed reactions across the nation. While some Nigerians see her words as a desperate attempt to rewrite history and absolve her late husband, others believe she may be lifting the lid on hidden truths and power plays that followed Abacha’s death.
Social media has exploded with hashtags like #MaryamAbachaSpeaks, #WhereIsAbachaMoney, and #AbdulsalamiMustAnswer, as citizens demand further investigations into what really transpired in the final months of military rule and the early days of Nigeria's 4th Republic.
The Untold Chapter in Nigeria’s Transition?
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who is often hailed for facilitating Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999, has yet to publicly respond to the serious allegations made by Maryam Abacha.
However, observers believe this may open a new chapter in the historical review of Nigeria’s military era, particularly regarding the movement and management of national wealth during transitional periods.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: Maryam Abacha’s voice has reignited an uncomfortable, yet important national conversation about accountability, history, and the true custodians of Nigeria’s wealth.
