Autobiography of sani abacha

Charles Ajunwa

Title: Sani Abacha

Author: Adebayo Adeolu

Pages: 168

Publisher: Kraft Books Limited

Year: 2023

A

Any book on the life and military career of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, or of any other military Head of State in Nigeria, is bound to delve into the tragic history of Nigeria. In telling the story of Sani Abacha, this 163-page book titled ‘Sani Abacha’ by Adebayo Adeolu, and published by Kraft Books Limited in 2023, also tells a significant part of history of Nigeria.

The chapters of the book have the following titles: (1) A child of destiny (2) The owners of Nigeria (3) The spotlight (4) The emerging men (5) The coup that defined Abacha (6) The June 12 saga: Abiola offered Premier (7) The seat of power that kicked out the Interim Government (8) The second in command and the apostles of June 12 (9) Obasanjo put in golden cage (10) The International community and sanctions (11) The plane crash that changed everything (12) Ambitious soldiers (13) The Abacha money (14) The visit from the Vatican and foreign intervention (15) A mother in a million (16) Why Abacha used force (17) The Commander-in-chief. The author makes quite a number of revelations which many readers would find surprising. For instance, we are told in chapter 3 that the late Chief MKO Abiola participated in the August 27, 1985 Babangida coup that overthrew Gen. Buhari’s high-handed military government (see page 19). This information is interesting, considering the fact that it was the same Gen. Babangida who was to annul the June 12, 1993 election won by Abiola who later died in detention.  

With a steadily rising profile and rank that climaxed in the foiling of the April 22, 1990 Gideon Orkar coup which saved Babangida’s life and his government, it almost appeared as a joke when the author records on page 33 that “General Ibrahim Babangida made a commitment to return Nigeria to democratic civilian rule in a nationwide

Related products

Military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998

Sani AbachaGCFR ((listen); (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron-fist as military head of state from 1993 following a palace coup d'état until his death in 1998.

Abacha's seizure of power was the last successful coup d'état in Nigerian military history. He wielded power with an unyielding attitude and his rule heralded an unprecedented total disregard for human rights with several political assassinations and summary executions of dissidents and political opponents in Nigeria. His rule drew disrepute to the country with Nigeria becoming a pariah state in international relations particularly with regards to the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Sani Abacha was considered one of the twentieth century's most corrupt dictators and as a kleptocrat for the alleged embezzlement of US$2–5 billion. Abacha, and his family, allegedly hid most of the loot abroad in Switzerland, as well as in other jurisdictions including Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom and the United States. Abacha's death on 8 June 1998 brought about the Nigerian Fourth Republic a year later and he was succeeded as Nigeria's head of state by General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Early life

Abacha was born and brought up in Kano to a Kanuri family originally from present-day Borno State. He attended the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna, and was commissioned in 1963 after he had attended the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England.

Military career

Abacha was definitely involved in all the military coups in Nigeria since July 1966 during his military career. In 1966, when he was still a second lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion in Kaduna, he took par