Maryam Abacha, widow of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has rejected long-standing allegations that her late husband looted billions of dollars during his time in office, insisting there is no credible evidence to support the claims.
Speaking in an interview with TVC on Sunday, Mrs. Abacha challenged the narrative surrounding her husband’s legacy and questioned the basis of the accusations.
“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.
She also claimed that funds her husband allegedly secured for Nigeria disappeared shortly after his death.
“And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that,” she said.
The NewsMatrics reports that Mrs. Abacha’s claims contradict the fact that over $4.4 billion in stolen funds has been traced and recovered from the family between 1998 and 2023.
Mrs. Abacha however criticised the continued focus on her husband nearly three decades after his death, questioning the motivations behind the scrutiny.
“Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians?” she asked. “Why are we so bad towards each other? Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian… It’s not fair.”
She also directed criticism at the media, urging journalists to play a more constructive role.
“People are not that bad. Twenty-seven years ago, and you are still talking about Abacha. He must be very powerful and loved by Nigerians. We thank God for that,” she said.
Responding to comments about Nigeria’s relatively stable economy during her husband’s rule, marked by increased foreign reserves and reduced external debt, Mrs. Abacha reiterated her position that there was no wrongdoing.
“So, where did he steal the money from? So where would he have stolen the money from?” she asked. “And because Nigerians are fools, they listen to everything.”
She concluded by calling for unity and mutual respect among Nigerians, saying, “Babangida doesn’t make Nigeria alone. Abacha does not make Nigeria alone. Abiola and everybody, nobody is big enough for Nigeria. Even the single man on the street is very important. We are all human beings, for goodness sake. All these wahala should stop.”
