Abdulsalami Abubakar Uncovers Suspicious Circumstances Surrounding Abacha's Death

Former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has shed light on the mysterious events leading up to the death of General Sani Abacha. In his autobiography, 'Call of Duty,' Abubakar revealed that he and the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ishaya Bamaiyi, were kept in a waiting room at the Presidential Villa for nearly an hour before being informed of Abacha's passing. The incident occurred on June 8, 1998, and Abubakar described the experience as leaving him with a lingering sense that something was amiss. According to Abubakar, the day began with a phone call informing him that Abacha was going to be retired, which he interpreted as a sign that his own retirement from the military was imminent. However, he was later summoned to the Presidential Villa, where he and Bamaiyi were mysteriously locked in a waiting room. When the door was eventually opened by the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, they were informed of Abacha's death. Abubakar recalled being in shock and requesting to see Abacha's body, which was granted. The events that followed were marked by a sense of chaos and urgency, as senior officials converged on the residence to discuss the transition of power. Abubakar accused the 'inner caucus' of being more concerned with succession politics than with Abacha's burial, and he revealed that they had begun manoeuvring for power even before he and other Provisional Ruling Council members were informed. The burial trip to Kano, Abubakar claimed, was a ploy to keep him and other key actors away from Abuja while a succession plan was finalized in their absence. Abubakar's account provides a unique insight into the events surrounding Abacha's death and the subsequent power struggle that ensued. The former Head of State's revelations have sparked fresh suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Abacha's demise, and his autobiography is set to shed more light on the intricacies of Nigerian politics during that period.