No Evidence Abacha Looted Public Funds – Maryam Abacha Insists

Maryam Abacha, widow of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has publicly denied persistent claims that her husband looted billions of dollars from Nigeria’s treasury, calling the accusations baseless and unsupported by evidence.

Speaking during a rare interview on TVC’s Politics on Sunday with host Femi Akande, the former First Lady dismissed the widespread belief that her husband was behind one of the largest corruption scandals in African history.

“Who is the witness of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or evidence of any money stashed abroad?” she asked pointedly. “The money my husband kept for Nigeria vanished in a few months. Why are you blaming somebody?”

Mrs. Abacha also responded to long-standing political allegations, particularly surrounding the annulment of the 1993 presidential election. She refuted claims that her husband orchestrated it and implied that such narratives exaggerated his influence.

“The annulment was not done by my husband. And if it was him, then that means he was more powerful than the President at the time,” she said, referring indirectly to General Ibrahim Babangida. “But I’m not here to talk about Babangida or anybody. All I know is that my husband didn’t do it.”

On national unity, the former First Lady lamented rising ethnic and religious tensions in Nigeria, urging citizens to rise above tribal and sectarian sentiments.

“Why are we so bad towards each other? Because someone is a Northerner or Southerner? A Muslim or a Christian? It’s not fair,” she stated.

Turning her focus to Nigeria’s prolonged battle with insurgency, Mrs. Abacha questioned the inability of the country’s security forces to decisively end terrorism, comparing Nigeria’s capabilities to smaller nations that have quelled similar threats.

“I don’t know why insurgents have lingered this long. Other smaller nations have tackled theirs. We are bigger, richer, and more experienced,” she said. “I believe in our military. If ECOMOG could bring peace to other countries, why can’t we have peace here?”

She urged the civilian government to work more closely with the military to restore security and maintain national stability.

Reflecting on her tenure as First Lady, Mrs. Abacha expressed concern about the lack of continuity in government policies, citing the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission as a legacy initiative that has stood the test of time.

“Every government comes with its own programs. But if there is no continuity, there will be no progress,” she said.

Defending past military regimes, she argued that military governments had more structure and political will than some civilian administrations.

“No government can fail. Military governance is different; they have the will and the power. Maybe the civilians are not that strong. But the solution lies in cooperation,” she added.

She ended the interview with an appeal to the press and the general public to foster national unity and support leaders through constructive criticism.

“Let’s pray for our country. Let’s be good to our leaders and say good things. The press should be truthful and help build the nation, not destroy people’s reputations.”

Maryam Abacha’s comments are likely to reignite debates surrounding her husband’s legacy, as General Sani Abacha remains one of the most controversial figures in Nigeria’s political history.