On June 8,1998 which is precisely 22 years ago, Nigerian military ruler, General Sani Abacha was confirmed dead.
Born September 20, 1943. He was brought up in Kano state but a Kanuri from Borno state by origin. He is regarded as the first and only military leader who never skipped a rank to become a full-star General and his military ascendancy include:
Second Lieutenant (Commissioned)-1963,Lieutenant- 1966, Captain-1967, Major-1969, Lieutenant Colonel-1972, Colonel-1975, Brigadier General-1980, Major General-1983, Lieutenant General-1987, General-1993.
He is credited with assisting Ibrahim Babangida in overthrowing Shehu Shagari from office during the latter’s second Civilian presidential term in 1983. The bloodless coup of December 31 1983 resulted in the installation of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s leader and the promotion of Abacha into the rank of Brigadier in the Nigerian Army.
Abacha also played a pivotal role in the August 27,1985 bloodless coup that brought General Ibrahim Babangida into power. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff at the beginning of General Babangida’s tenure and was thereafter named Minister of Defence in 1990 technically making him one of the most powerful men in the Nigerian Army.
Abacha became Nigeria’s leader on 17 November 1993 after a Palace coup that forced interim President Ernest Shonekan into resignation. He became renowned for his brutal treatment of any form of opposition or criticism of his government.The likes of MKO Abiola, Olusegun Obasanjo, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua were jailed for treason. Even his second in command, General Oladipo Diya was not spared from detention and sentenced to death over an alleged coup plot. Numerous journalists were also jailed and reportedly tortured and the Nigerian Press ruthlessly crushed by the Army whenever any report was made about Abacha’s administration irrespective of how truthful the reports were. Media houses such as Vanguard, Punch,Tribune etc were repeatedly shut down whenever he was displeased by any of their publications.
One of his most brutal acts was the imprisonment, hasty trial and gruesome execution of prolific writer and activist Ken Saro Wiwa alongside 8 other Ogoni activists who alongside thousands of Ogonis protested against the environmental exploitation of their region by foreign petroleum companies. Despite calls from international bodies, human right groups and individuals such as South Africa’s President, Nelson Mandela for their release, Abacha didn’t bulge and ensured they were executed by hanging. This led to several international sanctions and a strain in diplomatic relationships between Nigeria and other countries including Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations.
Though Abacha promised to restore civilian rule to Nigeria, it became obvious it wasn’t part of his agenda and in April 1998, the five political parties formed in his regime were coerced into nominating him as their sole presidential candidate, a move which made an election that would usher in a democratic civilian leadership impossible.
Abacha reportedly died on 8 June 1998 in his Aso Rock presidential Villa. Though it was officially announced that the cause of his death was a sudden heart attack, it was rumoured and widely believed by many Nigerians that he was poisoned by two Indian prostitutes. He was 54 years old at the time of death.
