Maryam Abacha, widow of former military Head of State General Sani Abacha, has dismissed longstanding allegations that her late husband looted billions of dollars during his time in office.
In a recent interview, Mrs. Abacha demanded concrete proof that her husband stashed public funds in foreign accounts, questioning, “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 further claimed that funds her husband reportedly secured for Nigeria “vanished” shortly after his death, implying mismanagement by subsequent administrations.
Mrs. Abacha questioned the motivations behind the continued focus on her husband’s legacy, suggesting that tribal or religious biases might be at play. She urged Nigerians to stop blaming one another and called for unity and respect for all citizens, stating, “We are all very important.
Even the single man on the street is very important. We are all human beings, for goodness sake. All these wahala should stop.”
Mrs. Abacha also criticized the media, urging journalists to educate the public rather than “bastardise people.” Responding to remarks about the relatively stable economy during her husband’s regime, she reiterated her denial of any wrongdoing and challenged critics to present verifiable evidence of looting.
She concluded by emphasizing the importance of national unity and dismissed the idea that any single individual could dictate the fate of Nigeria.
