FORMER Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has revealed the dramatic and little-known events surrounding the death of General Sani Abacha in June 1998, recounting how he was lured to the Presidential Villa, locked in a waiting room for more than an hour and only later informed that the military ruler had died.
News Point Nigeria reports that Abdulsalami disclosed the details in his autobiography, Call of Duty, which is scheduled to be unveiled today in Abuja as part of activities marking his 84th birthday.
The retired general said he initially believed he had been summoned by Abacha to receive another assignment, possibly representing Nigeria at an ECOWAS summit in Togo, only to discover hours later that the Head of State was dead and that events were already unfolding that would eventually lead to his emergence as Nigeria’s new leader.
The autobiography, published by Cable Books, an imprint of Cable Media & Publishing Ltd, is distributed nationwide by Rovingheights Bookstores and is also available on Amazon.
Recalling the events of June 8, 1998, Abdulsalami wrote that he received an early morning call informing him that Abacha wanted to see him.
“On Monday, 8 June, I received a call very early in the morning that he (Abacha) wanted to see me. I quietly prayed that he would not send me to Togo where there was going to be an ECOWAS summit. I was tired of going everywhere,” he wrote.
At the time, Lieutenant-General Oladipo Diya, who had served as Abacha’s deputy, was in detention over an alleged coup plot, effectively making Abdulsalami the second most senior figure in government.
“By this time, Lt-General Diya, his No 2, was in detention (over an alleged coup plot). I was effectively the No 2 man in government and I was always representing him at events. I told my wife I was not happy with the call because I didn’t want to travel to Togo. I told my orderly to pack my travelling bag and other personal effects,” he recalled.
According to him, another call came while he was preparing to leave home.
“As I entered the bathroom, there was another call. I was told again that the Head of State wanted to see me. Out of frustration, I asked if I was travelling to Togo and the caller replied that it was on another issue. Because of the urgency, I didn’t wear my uniform. I wore a tracksuit and slippers and proceeded to the Presidential Villa.”
Upon arrival at the Presidential Villa, Abdulsalami said he was informed that Abacha was already in his office and was instructed to wait in a reception room.
“On getting to his residence, I was told he was in the office. I wondered why he would be that early in the office. As I was climbing the stairs, one of the guards informed me that Abacha said I should stay in the waiting room. What struck me was that anytime I went to see him, regardless of who was with him, I would still go in.”
The unusual circumstances immediately raised suspicions.
After waiting for some time, he was joined by Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi, but both men remained confined to the room without explanation.
“After waiting for about half an hour, I reasoned that it was odd. Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi joined me shortly after. We waited for about an hour. I decided to go and see Abacha by any means because I could not understand why I should be kept that long.
“To my greatest surprise, the door of the waiting room had been locked. I asked Bamaiyi if he was aware that we had been locked inside. Something kept telling me that something was wrong but I could not place a finger on it.”
The mystery was eventually broken when the then Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, arrived and opened the door.
“After some time, the door was opened and the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, came in. He said: ‘Let’s go.’
“We walked towards the residence and I informed him that I was told Abacha was at the office. It was at this stage that he informed me that Abacha was dead.”
Abdulsalami said he was stunned by the revelation and immediately sought an explanation.
“I was shocked. I asked him what happened and he insisted we proceed first. He did not tell me anything else.”
The former military ruler recounted how he was subsequently allowed to see Abacha’s remains.
“When we got to the residence, I asked to see Abacha’s body. I was told it was inside. I entered the room and removed the covering. I was in shock at the sudden development. I prayed for him and left the room.”
Although Abdulsalami did not identify those responsible for locking the waiting room door, he suggested that some military officers may have been pursuing alternative plans as events unfolded following Abacha’s death.
The retired general stopped short of naming individuals but insinuated that certain officers had “other plans” during the tense hours that followed the sudden demise of the Head of State.
Later that same day, the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) met and voted to appoint Abdulsalami as Abacha’s successor.
His emergence marked a turning point in Nigeria’s political history.
After assuming office, Abdulsalami initiated a brief but consequential transition programme that paved the way for the restoration of democratic governance.
The process culminated in the handover of power to a democratically elected civilian administration led by Olusegun Obasanjo in May 1999, bringing an end to years of military rule and ushering in Nigeria’s current democratic era.