Was Locked In A Room After Abacha Died — Former Head Of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has spoken of the dramatic events surrounding the death of General Sani Abacha in 1998, following which he became Nigeria’s new head of state.
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has spoken of the dramatic events surrounding the death of General Sani Abacha in 1998, following which he became Nigeria’s new head of state.
Abdulsalami was the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, and number three in the military hierarchy after the Chief of General Staff, General Oladipo Diya, then. However, Diya was facing a military tribunal in Jos, Plateau State, for allegedly planning to overthrow Abacha, at the time he suddenly died
In his autobiography, ‘Call of Duty’, to be unveiled today to mark his 84th birthday in Abuja, Abdulsalami noted that he was deceived that Abacha wanted to see him on the morning of June 8, 1998, but on getting to the Presidential Villa, he was locked up in a room for over an hour without any explanations — until the late Ibrahim Coomassie, then inspector-general of police, came to open the door.
The autobiography, published by Cable Books, an imprint of Cable Media & Publishing Ltd, is distributed nationwide by Rovingheights Bookstores and can also be ordered on Amazon.’
Abdulsalami's words, “On Monday, 8 June, I received a call very early in the morning that he (Abacha) wanted to see me. I quietly prayed that he would not send me to Togo where there was going to be an ECOWAS summit. I was tired of going everywhere.
“By this time, Lt-General Diya, his No 2, was in detention (over an alleged coup plot). I was effectively the No 2 man in government and I was always representing him at events. I told my wife I was not happy with the call because I didn’t want to travel to Togo. I told my orderly to pack my travelling bag and other personal effects.
“As I entered the bathroom, there was another call. I was told again that the Head of State wanted to see me. Out of frustration, I asked if I was travelling to Togo and the caller replied that it was on another issue. Because of the urgency, I didn’t wear my uniform. I wore a tracksuit and slippers and proceeded to the Presidential Villa.
“On getting to his residence, I was told he was in the office. I wondered why he would be that early in the office. As I was climbing the stairs, one of the guards informed me that Abacha said I should stay in the waiting room. What struck me was that anytime I went to see him, regardless of who was with him, I would still go in.”
After a while in the waiting room I felt something was not right.
“After waiting for about half an hour, I reasoned that it was odd. Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi joined me shortly after. We waited for about an hour. I decided to go and see Abacha by any means because I could not understand why I should be kept that long.
“After some time, the door was opened and the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, came in. He said: ‘Let’s go.’ We walked towards the residence and I informed him that I was told Abacha was at the office. It was at this stage that he informed me that Abacha was dead. I was shocked. I asked him what happened and he insisted we proceed first. He did not tell me anything else.
“When we got to the residence, I asked to see Abacha’s body. I was told it was inside. I entered the room and removed the covering. I was in shock at the sudden development. I prayed for him and left the room.”
The former head of State did not state
who ordered the door of the waiting room to be locked but insinuated that some military officers had “other plans” as events unfolded.
Abdulsalami was named Abacha’s successor after a vote by the Provisional Ruling Council, PRC. He later organised a nine- month transition programme and went on to hand over to a democratically elected president, led by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in May 1999.
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