Maryam Abacha challenges claims of husband’s looted billions
By Uzair Adam
Maryam Abacha, widow of the late military ruler General Sani Abacha, has denied longstanding allegations that her husband looted billions of dollars while in power, insisting that no credible evidence exists to support the accusations.
In a recent interview with TVC, Mrs. Abacha demanded that those making the claims present verifiable evidence.
“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 further claimed that funds her husband had secured for Nigeria quickly disappeared after his death, alleging mismanagement by successive administrations.
“The monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that,” she said.
Questioning the motivation behind the persistent focus on her husband’s alleged wrongdoing, Mrs. Abacha asked, “Why are you blaming somebody? “Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians? I pray for Nigerians. I pray for all of us. I pray that we should have goodness in our hearts. We should stop telling lies and blaming people.”
She also criticized what she described as a media culture of “bastardizing people,” urging journalists to educate Nigerians rather than perpetuate unfounded claims.
“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 added.
Mrs. Abacha, responding to a comment on the relatively stable economy under her husband’s rule—characterized by higher foreign reserves and lower external debt—insisted her husband had not stolen public funds.
“So, where did he steal the money from? So where would he have stolen the money from? And because Nigerians are fools, they listen to everything,” she said.
Emphasizing the need for national unity and mutual respect, Mrs. Abacha declared, “Babangida doesn’t make Nigeria alone. Abacha does not make Nigeria alone. Abiola and everybody, nobody is big enough for Nigeria. 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. Babangida cannot make things or unmake things.”