By Abiola Olawale
Maryam Sani Abacha, widow of late Nigerian Head of State General Sani Abacha, has alleged that vast sums of money her husband allegedly set aside for Nigeria’s development mysteriously vanished from the Treasury shortly after he died in 1998.
The former First Lady accused those at the helm of affairs and immediate successor to her late husband of being in the know as to what happened to the huge funds, and should be held accountable.
Recall that Abacha was succeeded by General Abdulsalami Abubakar as Head of State. The latter embarked on a transition programme which led to a smooth handover of power to democratic government in 1999.
Maryam, who spoke with the press, urged Nigerians to confront the truth and stop spreading falsehoods about her late husband’s legacy.
According to her, her husband, Abacha kept some funds for Nigeria’s benefit.
“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 continued: “And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that.
“Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians?” she asked. “Why are we so bad towards each other? Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian… It’s not fair.”
The New Diplomat reports that Maryam’s statement has reignited debates about the controversial financial dealings during her husband’s regime, which spanned from 1993 to 1998.
Abacha, known for his authoritarian rule, was accused of allegedly embezzling billions of dollars in public funds, with estimates ranging from $2 billion to $5 billion stashed in foreign accounts.
