Maryam Abacha claims money her husband left behind vanished immediately after his death

GENERAL Sani Abacha's widow Maryam has thrown fresh light on the corrupt environment that engulfed the nation following her husband's death pointing out that millions of dollars he left behind went missing immediately after his demise.

Renown as Nigeria's most brutal dictator ever, General Abacha was also considered one of the most corrupt African officials ever. It is estimated that he embezzled something close to $5bn, surpassing the kleptomania of the likes of Mobutu Sese Sekou, Omar Bongo and Samuel Doe.

However, following general Abacha's death in 1998, things appeared to get worse as he left about $10bn in Nigeria's foreign reserves and the time the civilian government of President Olusegun Obasanjo took over in May 1999, only about $4bn was left in the reserves. Speaking in an interview with TVC yesterday, Mrs Abacha, however, challenged the narrative surrounding her husband’s legacy and questioned the basis of the accusations.

She 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. She also claimed that funds her husband allegedly secured for Nigeria disappeared shortly after his death.

Mrs Abacha said: “Who is the witness of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad? And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that.”

Also, Mrs Abacha criticised the continued focus on her husband nearly three decades after his death, questioning the motivations behind the scrutiny. She also directed criticism at the media, urging journalists to play a more constructive role.

“People are not that bad, some 27 years and you are still talking about Abacha. He must be very powerful and loved by Nigerians. We thank God for that,” she added.