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			{{short description|Military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998}}
	{{Infobox President
			{{Use Nigerian English|date=March 2023}}
	|name=General Sani Abacha
			{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
	|nationality=Nigerian
			{{Infobox officeholder
	|image=File:Sani Abacha.jpg
			| name = Sani Abacha
	|caption=
	|order=10th ]		| honorific_prefix = ]
			| honorific_suffix = ]
	|term_start=November 17, 1993
			| image = Sani Abacha (UN).jpg
	|term_end=June 8, 1998
			| caption = Portrait, {{circa|1993–1998}}
	|predecessor=]
			| office = ] ]
	|successor=]
	|office2 = Chief of Army Staff (Nigeria)		| term_start = 17 November 1993
	|term_start2 = August 1985		| term_end = 8 June 1998
			| 1blankname = {{nowrap|]}}
	|term_end2 = August 1990
	|predecessor2 = ]		| 1namedata = ]
	|successor2 = ]		| predecessor = ]
			| successor = ]
	|birth_date={{birth date|1943|9|20|df=y}}
	|birth_place=], ]		| office2 = ]
			| president2 = ]<br>Ernest Shonekan<br>''Himself''
	|death_date={{death date and age|1998|6|8|1943|9|20|df=y}}
			| term_start2 = August 1990
	|death_place=], ]
			| term_end2 = 8 June 1998
	|spouse= ]
			| predecessor2 = ]
	|party=none (military)
			| successor2 = Abdulsalami Abubakar
	|vicepresident=
			| office3 = ]
	|religion=]
			| president3 = Ibrahim Babangida<br>Ernest Shonekan
	|signature=Signature of Sani Abacha.svg
	| allegiance =		| term_start3 = August 1990
	| branch = ]		| term_end3 = 17 November 1993
			| predecessor3 = ]
			| successor3 = ]
			| office4 = ]
			| president4 = Ibrahim Babangida
			| term_start4 = August 1985
			| term_end4 = August 1990
			| predecessor4 = ]
			| successor4 = ]
			| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|9|20|df=y}}
			| birth_place = ], ], ]<br>(now ], Kano, Nigeria)
			| death_date = {{death date and age|1998|6|8|1943|9|20|df=y}}
			| death_place = ], ], Nigeria
			| death_cause = Disputed
			| spouse = ]
			| party = none ''(military)''
			| nationality = Nigerian
			| occupation = Military officer
			| signature = Signature of Sani Abacha.svg
			| allegiance = {{flag|Nigeria}}
			| branch = ] ]
	| serviceyears = 1963–1998		| serviceyears = 1963–1998
	| rank = ]		| rank = ] ]
	| unit =		| commands =
			| battles = ]<br>]
	| commands =
	| battles =		| awards =
	| awards =		| children = {{collapsible list |title=See|
			1=Ibrahim<br/>]<br/>Abba<br/>Mahmud<br/>Sadiq<br/>Zainab<br/>Fatima Gumsu<br/>Rakiya<br/>Abdullahi<br/>Mustapha<br/>}}
			| alt = Official portrait of Sani Abacha
	}}		}}
			'''Sani Abacha''' {{post-nominals|country=NGA|GCFR}} ({{pronunciation|En-us-Sani Abacha from Nigeria pronunciation (Voice of America).ogg|listen|(|help=no}}; (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a ] and statesman who ruled ] with an iron-fist as military ] from 1993 following a ] until his death in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/06/16/al-mustapha-how-abacha-died/ |date=16 June 2021 |access-date=11 February 2023 |publisher=This day live.com |last=Okocha |first=Chuks |title=Al-Mustapha: How Abacha Died}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/world/new-chapter-nigeria-obituary-sani-abacha-54-beacon-brutality-era-when-brutality.html |title=NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality In an Era When Brutality Was Standard |work=] |date=9 June 1998 |access-date=11 February 2023 |last=Kaufman |first=Michael T.}}</ref>
	General '''Sani Abacha''' (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian soldier and politician who served as the ] of ] from 1993 to 1998.<ref>Paden, John N. (2005) ''Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution'', ] Press. p. 240. ISBN 0-8157-6817-6.</ref> Abacha's regime is one of the most controversial in Nigeria's history. His regime became the first to record unprecedented economic achievements: he oversaw an increase in the country's foreign exchange reserves from $494 million dollars in 1993 to $9.6 billion by the middle of 1997, reduced the external debt of Nigeria from $36 billion in 1993 to $27 billion by 1997, brought all the controversial privatization programs of the Babangida administration to halt, reduced an inflation rate of 54% inherited from ] to 8.5% between 1993 and 1998, all while the nation's primary commodity, oil was at an average of $15 per barrel. His administration is also credited with creating the most comprehensive and realistic blueprint for Nigeria's development through the Vision 2010 committee chaired by his predecessor ].
			Abacha's seizure of power was the ] in ]. He wielded power with an unyielding attitude and ] 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 ] in international relations particularly with regards to the execution of environmental activist ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Michael T. |date=9 June 1998 |title=NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality in an Era when Brutality Was Standard |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/world/new-chapter-nigeria-obituary-sani-abacha-54-beacon-brutality-era-when-brutality.html |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nigeria: Statements on Assassination, 6/5/'96 |url=http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Urgent_Action/dc_6596.html}}</ref>
	==Early life and education==
	A ] from ] by tribe, Abacha was born and brought up in ]. He attended the ] and ] before being commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in 1963.<ref name=Bio>{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.saniabacha.com/index1.php?getpage=biography|publisher=Sani Abacha|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref>
			Sani Abacha was considered one of the twentieth century's most corrupt dictators<ref>{{Cite web |title=The World's All-Time Most Corrupt Leaders |url=https://www.forbes.com/2004/03/25/cx_vc_corruptslide.html |access-date=22 May 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> as a ] for the alleged embezzlement of US$2&ndash;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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |date=5 March 2014 |title=U.S. Seizes Largest Ever Embezzlement by Foreign Dictator |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-announces-largest-seizure-ever-of-money-allegedly-embezzled-by-foreign-dictator-1394046818 |access-date=26 May 2020 |website=Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 October 2019 |title=African kleptocrats are finding it tougher to stash cash in the West |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2019/10/10/african-kleptocrats-are-finding-it-tougher-to-stash-cash-in-the-west |access-date=26 May 2020 |newspaper=The Economist}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Olawoyin |first=Oladeinde |date=23 May 2018 |title=Again, Buhari lauds late kleptocrat dictator, Sani Abacha |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/269444-again-buhari-lauds-late-kleptocrat-dictator-sani-abacha.html |access-date=26 May 2020 |website=Premium Times (Nigeria)}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 March 2014 |title=U.S. Freezes More Than $458 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Kleptocracy Forfeiture Action Ever Brought in the U.S. |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-freezes-more-458-million-stolen-former-nigerian-dictator-largest-kleptocracy-forfeiture |access-date=26 May 2020 |website=US Department of Justice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nigeria to recover $300m stolen by its former military ruler |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2020/2/4/nigeria-to-recover-300m-stolen-by-its-former-military-ruler |access-date=8 October 2020 |website=Al Jazeera}}</ref> Abacha's death on 8 June 1998 brought about the ] a year later and he was succeeded as Nigeria's head of state by General ].
			==Early life==
			Abacha was born and brought up in ] to a ] family originally from present-day ].<ref>{{cite web|title=20 things to remember about Abacha|url=https://www.thecable.ng/20-things-to-remember-about-gen-sani-abacha|date=8 June 2016|website=TheCable|language=en-US|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sani Abacha {{!}} Nigerian military leader |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sani-Abacha |website=Encyclopedia Britannica}}</ref> He attended the ] in ], and was ] in 1963 after he had attended the ] in ], ].<ref>{{cite news|date=9 June 1998|title=NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality In an Era When Brutality Was Standard|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/09/world/new-chapter-nigeria-obituary-sani-abacha-54-beacon-brutality-era-when-brutality.html|access-date=6 February 2019}}</ref>
	==Military career==		==Military career==
			Abacha was involved in all the ] during his military career. In 1966, when he was still a second ] with the 3rd Battalion in ], he took part in the ] from the conceptual stage.<ref name=Siollun>{{cite book|last=Siollun|first=Max|title=Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966–1976)|year=2009|publisher=Algora|isbn=9780875867090|page=97}}</ref> He could well have been a participant in the ] or ] phases of the ] as well.<ref>{{cite book|last=Siollun|first=Max|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S1s9EqmAN1IC&pg=PA132 |title=Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966–1976)|date=2009|publisher=Algora Publishing|isbn=978-0-87586-709-0}}</ref> In 1969, he fought during the ] as a platoon and battalion commander. He later became commander of the 2nd Infantry Division in 1975.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Akyeampong|first1=Emmanuel Kwaku|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=39JMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 |title=Dictionary of African Biography|last2=Gates|first2=Henry Louis|date=2 February 2012|publisher=OUP USA|isbn=978-0-19-538207-5}}</ref> In 1983, Abacha was general officer commanding of the ], and was appointed a member of the ].<ref>{{citation|last=Balogun|first=M.J.|title=Leadership as an Imposition: the Military Shortcut to Power|date=2009|work=The Route to Power in Nigeria: A Dynamic Engagement Option for Current and Aspiring Leaders|pages=163–193|editor-last=Balogun|editor-first=M.J.|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan US|doi=10.1057/9780230100848_9|isbn=978-0-230-10084-8}}</ref>
	Abacha was ] in 1963, after he had attended the Mons Defence Officers cadet Training College in ], ]. Before then, he had attended the ] in ]. Abacha's Military career is distinguished with a string of successful coups. He is by some records the most successful coup plotter in the history of Nigeria's military. He took part in the countercoup of July 1966, from the conceptual stage, and may have been a participant in the Lagos or Abeokuta phases of the January 1966 coup. He was also a prominent figure in every single successful coup in Nigerian history, two of which brought and removed General ] from power in 1983. When General ] was named President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of ] in 1985, Abacha was named Chief of Army Staff. He was later appointed ] in 1990.<ref>Oyewole, A. (1987) ''Historical Dictionary of Nigeria'', Scarecrow Press. p. 385. ISBN 0-8108-1787-X.</ref><ref>http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9389478 "Abacha, Sani."</ref>
			In 1983, Abacha played a prominent role in the ] which brought General ] to power; and the ] which removed Buhari and brought General Ibrahim Babangida to power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/militaryrule/omoigui/PalaceCoup-1985.htm|title=Nigeria: Palace Coup of 1985 By Dr. Nowa Omoigui|website=www.waado.org|access-date=31 March 2019}}</ref> When General ] was named ] and ] of the ] of the ] in 1985, Abacha was named ]. He was later appointed Minister of Defence in 1990.<ref>Oyewole, A. (1987) ''Historical Dictionary of Nigeria'', Scarecrow Press. p. 385. {{ISBN|0-8108-1787-X}}.</ref><ref name="eb222">{{cite web|url=http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9389478|title=Encyclopedia – Britannica Online Encyclopedia|work=eb.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Siollun|first=Max|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DB6sDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA21 |title=Nigeria's Soldiers of Fortune: The Abacha and Obasanjo Years|date=29 August 2019|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-1-78738-202-2}}</ref>
	On November 17, 1993. while he was Chair of the Joint Chiefs, General Abacha Overthrew the Short-lived Interim National Government of Chief ].
			Abacha served as ] from 1985 to 1990, as ] from 1990 to 1993, and as ]. Abacha is noted for having been the first ] officer to attain the rank of a ] without skipping a single rank.<ref>Paden, John N. (2005) ''] Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution'', ] Press. p. 240. {{ISBN|0-8157-6817-6}}.</ref>
	== Human rights abuses==
	Abacha's government was accused of ] abuses, especially after the hanging of ] activist ] by the ] (only one of several executions of Ogoni activists opposed to the exploitation of Nigerian resources by the ] ] company, ] Group); ] and ] were jailed for treason, and ] charged in absentia with treason.<ref name="eb"> '']''. 3 February 2007</ref> His regime suffered opposition externally by pro-democracy activists. He however supported the ] and sent Nigerian troops to ] and ] to help restore democracy to those countries.
	Despite being repeatedly condemned by the ],<ref>Shapiro, Bruce. http://www.salon.com. November 9, 1999.</ref> Abacha did have a few ties to American politics. In 1997, Senator ] (]-]) travelled to Nigeria to meet with Abacha as a representative of "]", a group of ] politicians and civic leaders. Abacha and The Family had a business and political relationship from that point until his death.<ref>Sharlet, Jeff. '']'', November/December 2010</ref><ref> NPR.org. December 22, 2009</ref> Abacha also developed ties with other American political figures such as Senator ], Rev. ] and Minister ]. Several African American political leaders visited Nigeria during his reign and Farrakhan supported his administration.
			== Seizure of power ==
	==Corruption allegations==
			{{main|2 = 1993 Nigerian coup d'état}}
	During Abacha's regime, a total of ]5 billion was reportedly siphoned out of the country's coffers by the head of state and members of his family.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/world/late-nigerian-dictator-looted-nearly-500-million-swiss-say.html | work=The New York Times | title=Late Nigerian Dictator Looted Nearly $500 Million, Swiss Say | date=19 August 2004 | accessdate=9 April 2010}}</ref> At that time Abacha was listed as the world's fourth most corrupt leader in recent history.<ref>http://www.transparency.org.</ref><ref>TI press release , London, 25 March 2004. Interestingly, during a service marking the 10th year anniversary of the death of the dictator, several former Nigerian heads of state, including Gen. M Buhari(rtd.), refuted claims that Abacha looted the country, claiming such accusations are "baseless"., http://www.transparency.org/publications/gcr/download_gcr/download_gcr_2004]</ref>
	Abacha's national security adviser, Alhaji ], played a central role in the looting and transfer of money to overseas accounts.<ref>{{cite web
	|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/26/news/26iht-swiss.2.t_3.html
	|title=Swiss Freeze A Dictator's Giant Cache
	|author=Elizabeth Olson
	|date=January 26, 2000
	|work=[[New York Times
	|accessdate=2011-06-24]]}}</ref>
	His son ] was also involved.
	A preliminary report published by the ] transitional government in November 1998 described the process. Sani Abacha told Ismaila Gwarzo to provide fake funding requests, which Abacha approved. The funds were usually sent in cash or travellers' cheques by the ] to Gwarzo, who took them to Abacha's house. Mohammed Abacha then arranged to launder the money to offshore accounts.<ref>{{cite book |ref=harv
	|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=Twdt0VF-ML8C&pg=PA44
	|title=Recovering stolen assets
	|first=Mark |last=Pieth
	|pages=43–44
	|publisher=Peter Lang |year=2008
	|ISBN=3-03911-583-9}}</ref>
	An estimated $1.4 billion in cash was delivered in this way.<ref>{{cite book |ref=harv
	|url=http://books.google.ca/books?id=RGvSopqOnx0C&pg=PA178
	|title=Growing apart: oil, politics, and economic change in Indonesia and Nigeria
	|first=Peter |last=Lewis
	|page=178
	|publisher=University of Michigan Press |year=2007
	|ISBN=0-472-06980-2}}</ref>
	In March, 2014, the United States Department of Justice revealed that it had frozen more than $458 million believed to have been illegally obtained by Abacha and other corrupt officials.<ref>{{cite web|last=Reuters|title=US freezes $458m hidden by Nigerian ex-leader|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/03/us-freezes-458m-hidden-nigerian-ex-leader-20143664513203928.html|publisher=Al Jazeera|accessdate=6 March 2014}}</ref>
			Abacha was the defence minister and most senior official within the military hierarchy during the ]. He orchestrated the ] which overthrew the ] of ].<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|date=18 November 1993|title=Nigerian Military Leader Ousts Interim President|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/18/world/nigerian-military-leader-ousts-interim-president.html|access-date=24 May 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In his nationwide broadcast, Abacha portrayed the overthrow as an act of stability brought about through the socio-political uncertainties caused by the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Nigeria Coup Video, Abacha Coup |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhG3OU8FZZk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/qhG3OU8FZZk |archive-date=17 November 2021 |website=YouTube| date=8 June 2010 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
	==Death==
	Abacha died in June 1998 while at the presidential villa in Abuja. He was buried on the same day, according to ] tradition, without an ]. This fueled speculation that he may have been executed extrajudicially by way of being poisoned by political rivals via prostitutes.<ref name="Abacha Profile">{{cite web|title=General Sani Abacha Profile|url=http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/2651/|publisher=Africa Confidential|accessdate=19 June 2012}}</ref> On the contrary, the government cited his cause of death as a sudden ].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/11/world/us-aides-say-nigeria-leader-might-have-been-poisoned.html?scp=8&sq=abacha&st=cse | work=The New York Times | title=U.S. Aides Say Nigeria Leader Might Have Been Poisoned | first=Tim | last=Weiner | date=11 July 1998 | accessdate=9 April 2010}}</ref> It is reported that he was in the company of two Indian prostitutes<ref>{{cite web | author=Malhotra, Jyoti | work=The Indian Express | title=Did Indian girls see Nigerian dictator die? | url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/ie/daily/19980821/23350964.html | accessdate=20 April 2013}}</ref> imported from Dubai. It is thought that these prostitutes laced his drink with a poisonous substance, making Abacha feel unwell around 4:30am. He retired to his bed and was dead by 6:15am.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/nvnews/37233/1/general-sani-abacha-adapted-from-naiwu-osahons-boo.html | work=The Nigerian Voice | title=GENERAL SANI ABACHA (Adapted from Naiwu Osahon's book, The Viper's Den) | first=Naiwu | last=Osahon | date=28 October 2010 | accessdate=2 December 2010}}</ref>
			== Head of state ==
	After Abacha's death, Maj. Gen. ], Nigeria's defense chief of staff, was sworn in as the country's head of state. Abubakar had never before held public office and was quick to announce a transition to democracy, which led to the election of President ].
			Abacha ruled as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the ] of the ] from 1993 to 1998. In September 1994, he issued a decree that placed his government above the jurisdiction of the courts<ref>{{cite book |last=Gros |first=Jean-Germa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sWaMNpVEPTgC&pg=PA67 |title=Democratization in Late Twentieth-Century Africa: Coping with Uncertainty: Coping with Uncertainty |date=24 September 1998 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-0-313-37090-8}}</ref> effectively giving him absolute power. Another decree gave him the right to detain anyone for up to three months without trial. He further abrogated Decree 691 of 1993.<ref>{{cite web |date=7 September 1994 |title=Nigerian Military Ruler Assumes Absolute Power |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/07/world/nigerian-military-ruler-assumes-absolute-power.html |publisher=AP |via=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |title=Refworld {{!}} U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices 1998 - Nigeria |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aa7e8.html |access-date=24 May 2020 |website=Refworld}}</ref>
			=== Regime maintenance ===
	Abacha was married to ] and had seven sons and three daughters.<ref>"," '']''</ref> He has fifteen grandchildren — eight girls and seven boys.
			Abacha assembled a personal security force of 3,000 men trained in ]. Abacha's chief security officer ] had an iron grip on the apparatus of military security. The ] underwent a large-scale retraining. The state cracked down ruthlessly on criminals and dissidents, the ] was attributed with several bombings across the country, and several members were arrested.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|title=Nigeria: Bombing incidents at Lagos airport between June 1996 and November 1997, including identity of persons injured, reaction of authorities and outcome of investigations or prosecutions|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab4d1c.html|access-date=13 May 2020|website=Refworld}}</ref> When ] proclaimed himself president, he was jailed for ] and subsequently died in custody.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nigeria: Human Rights Watch Africa|url=https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Urgent_Action/apic_52396.html|access-date=24 May 2020|website=www.africa.upenn.edu}}</ref> Also, former military ruler ] was jailed for treason and accused of plotting a coup together with General ].<ref>{{cite web|date=10 June 1998|title=NEW NIGERIA CHIEF PLEDGES A RETURN TO CIVILIAN RULE|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/10/world/new-nigeria-chief-pledges-a-return-to-civilian-rule.html|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In 1997, General ] who was also jailed died in custody. Abacha's regime was accused of ] abuses, especially after the hanging of ] activist ] (only one of several executions of Ogoni activists opposed to the exploitation of ] by the ] ] company, ]), whose death later led to the eviction of Nigeria from the Commonwealth Nations.<ref name="Arnold7892222">{{cite book|last=Arnold|first=Guy|url=https://archive.org/details/africamodernhist00arno|title=Africa: A Modern History|date=2005|publisher=Atlantic Books|isbn=9781843541769|location=London|page=|url-access=registration}}</ref> ] was charged in absentia with treason.<ref name="eb222" /> Abacha's regime suffered opposition externally by pro-democracy activists.
	===Recovery of stolen funds===		=== National economy ===
			Abacha's administration oversaw an increase in the country's foreign exchange reserves from $494 million in 1993 to $9.6 billion by the middle of 1997, and reduced the ] of Nigeria from $36 billion in 1993 to $27 billion by 1997.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why we honoured Abacha - Nigerian government - Premium Times Nigeria|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/156004-why-we-honoured-abacha-nigerian-government.html|date=1 March 2014|language=en-GB|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="premiumtimes3">{{cite web|url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/156004-why-we-honoured-abacha-nigerian-government.html|title=Why we honoured Abacha – Nigerian government – Premium Times Nigeria|work=Premium Times Nigeria|date=March 2014}}</ref> Abacha also constructed between 25 and 100&nbsp;km of urban road in major cities such as ], ], ], ], ], ], ], Aba,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Aba-Nigeria|title=Aba {{!}} Nigeria|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica}}=</ref> ], ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Why did a U.S. magazine label Nigerian leader Sani Abacha as "Thug of the Year" in 1995?|url=https://www.ogoninews.com/ogoni/443-why-did-a-u-s-magazine-label-nigerian-leader-sani-abacha-as-thug-of-the-year-in-1995|last=|website=]|language=en-GB|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref> Abacha brought the privatisation programs of the Ibrahim Babangida administration to a halt, reduced an inflation rate of 54% inherited from ] to 8.5% between 1993 and 1998, all while the nation's primary commodity, oil was at an average of $15 per barrel.<ref name="premiumtimes3" /> GDP growth, despite being estimated to be higher than the 2.2% growth in 1995, was largely limited to the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://1997-2001.state.gov/global/human_rights/1996_hrp_report/nigeria.html|title=United States Department of State, Nigeria Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 1996|date= 30 January 1997|website=1997-2001.state.gov}}</ref>
	After Sani Abacha's death, the Obasanjo government implicated Abacha and his family in a wholesale looting of Nigeria's coffers. The late dictator's son, ], continues to maintain that all the assets in question were legitimately acquired.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/21/weekinreview/ideas-trends-a-nigerian-miracle.html | work=The New York Times | title=Ideas & Trends; A Nigerian Miracle | first=Floyd | last=Norris | date=21 April 2002 | accessdate=9 April 2010}}</ref><ref>Easterly, William. (2002) ''The Elusive Quest for Growth'', MIT Press. p. 245. ISBN 0-262-55042-3.</ref> In 2002, Abacha's family purpotedly agreed to return $1.2 billion that was taken from the central bank.<ref>The Worldwatch Institute. (2003) ''Vital Signs 2003'', The Worldwatch Institute. p. 115. ISBN 0-393-32440-0.</ref>
			=== Embezzlement of state funds ===
	==Legacy==
			The unprecedented economic achievements coincided with the rapid expansion of ] hitherto unseen in the history of ]<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 January 2020 |title=Revealing the Ultimate 2020 List: The 10 Most Corrupt Politicians in the World - The Sina Times |url=https://www.sinatimes.com/2020/01/03/revealing-the-ultimate-2020-list-the-10-most-corrupt-politicians-in-the-world/ |access-date=3 January 2024 |language=en-US}}</ref> in the alleged saga known as "Abacha loot".<ref>{{cite news |date=28 January 2021 |title=Sani Abacha - the hunt for the billions stolen by Nigeria's ex-leader |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54929254 |access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> Abacha's national security adviser, Alhaji ], was accused by the government of President ] to have played a central role in the looting and transfer of money to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/26/news/26iht-swiss.2.t_3.html|title=Swiss Freeze A Dictator's Giant Cache|author=Elizabeth Olson|date=26 January 2000|work=]|access-date=24 June 2011}}</ref> Abacha's son, ] and best friend Alhaji Mohammed M. Sada were also involved. A preliminary report published by the ] transitional government in November 1998 described the process. The report mentioned that Sani Abacha told Ismaila Gwarzo to provide fake ] funding requests, which Abacha approved. The funds were usually sent in cash or ]s by the ] to Gwarzo, who took them to Abacha's house. Mohammed Sada then arranged to launder the money to ]s. An estimated $1.4 billion in cash was delivered in this way.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RGvSopqOnx0C&pg=PA178|title=Growing apart: oil, politics, and economic change in Indonesia and Nigeria|last=Lewis|first=Peter|publisher=University of Michigan Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-472-06980-4|page=178}}</ref>
	General Abacha is credited with restoring Nigeria's standing as an African Power when he twice ordered the Nigerian Military to Intervene and restore the civilian and Democratic governments of Sierra Leone and Liberia after a series of Military Coups in both countries.
			In 2004, a list of the ten most self-enriching leaders in the previous two decades was released;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transparency.org/content/download/4459/26786/file/Introduction_to_political_corruption.pdf|title=Introduction to Political Corruption|date=25 March 2004|website=transparency.org|location=London|page=13}}</ref> in order of amount allegedly stolen, the fourth-ranked of these leaders was Abacha and his family who are alleged to have embezzled between $1 billion – $5 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/world/late-nigerian-dictator-looted-nearly-500-million-swiss-say.html|title=Late Nigerian Dictator Looted Nearly $500 Million, Swiss Say|date=19 August 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref> In 2002, rumours circulated that Abacha's family purportedly agreed to return $1.2 billion. Sources in the Obasanjo administration disclosed that the whole Abacha loot was politicised by the administration for his re-election bid.<ref>The Worldwatch Institute. (2003) ''Vital Signs 2003'', The Worldwatch Institute. p. 115. {{ISBN|0-393-32440-0}}.</ref> On 7 August 2014, the ] announced the forfeiture of US$480 million, the largest in its history, to the Nigerian government.<ref name="DOJ2222">{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-forfeits-over-480-million-stolen-former-nigerian-dictator-largest-forfeiture-ever-obtained|title=U.S. Forfeits Over $480 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Forfeiture Ever Obtained Through a Kleptocracy Action|website=The United States Department of Justice|date=28 August 2014|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> ] discovered more than $267 million in funds that were allegedly laundered through the U.S. banking system and deposited in a Jersey account (£210m in British pounds). In 2019, more than 20 years after his death the U.S. Justice Department, Jersey courts and the government of Nigeria completed a ] against the funds and they will be divided between those countries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-48509274|title=Dictator's £210m seized from Jersey account|date=4 June 2019|access-date=23 June 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref>
	==False representation of name==
	The names of Sani Abacha, his wife ], and son ]<ref>{{cite news |title=Nigeria recovers Abacha's cash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/211324.stm |format= |work=BBC News | date=1998-11-10 | accessdate=2006-10-21 }}</ref> are often used in ] (419) scams; he is "identified" in scam letters as the source for "money" that does not exist.<ref name="NewYorker">Zuckoff, Mitchell. "The Perfect Mark." '']''. , page 3.</ref><ref> – An online collection of Nigerian scam mails</ref> One website that is dedicated to exposing ] and similar schemes, ebolamonkeyman.com, exposed one use of the Abacha family name—resulting in a wider exposure and awareness of these types of scams in general.<ref>http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com/Tuchme.htm is where the entire documented interchange between the scammers and the website can be found.</ref>
			=== National politics ===
			{{Context||details=|date=April 2020}}
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			Abacha oversaw the re-organisation of Nigeria into six ],<ref>{{Cite web |last=] |date=1997 |title=Nigeria: Path to Unity and Stability Abuja National Constitutional Conference (1994-95) |url=https://oer.unn.edu.ng/read/nigeria-path-to-unity-and-stability-abuja-national-constitutional-conference-1994-95/file.pdf}}</ref> in order to reflect cultural, economic, and political realities of the regions:
			* ]: ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].
			* ]: ], ], ], ], ] and ].
			* ]: ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].
			* ]: ], ], ], ] and ].
			* ]: ], ], ], ], ] and ].
			* ]: ], ], ], ], ] and ].
			*
			*
			This was achieved after adding six states to the already existing 30 to make up the present 36 states in the country.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yaqub |first=Nuhu |date=September 2023 |title=Quasi-Democracy and Autocracy as Governance Systems in Nigeria An Examination |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/gss.2023.a917368 |journal=Journal of Global South Studies |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=312–357 |doi=10.1353/gss.2023.a917368 |issn=2476-1419}}</ref>
			Abacha held a constitutional conference between 1993 and 1995. Early in 1998, Abacha announced that elections would be held on 1 August, with a view toward handing power to a civilian government on 1 October. It later became apparent that Abacha had no intention of relinquishing power. By April 1998, Abacha had coerced the country's five political parties into endorsing him as the sole presidential candidate.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 January 2024 |title=NIGERIAN LEADER WINS NOMINATION OF 4 OF 5 PARTIES |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/04/20/nigerian-leader-wins-nomination-of-4-of-5-parties/4bc0c14d-b5c6-4dac-901a-90208220ddd2/ |access-date=15 February 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
			=== Foreign policy ===
			In 1995, following the execution of ], Nigeria was suspended from the ].<ref name="NYT-Commonwealth22">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/12/world/commonwealth-suspends-nigeria-over-executions.html|title=Commonwealth Suspends Nigeria Over Executions|website=The New York Times|date=12 November 1995|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Falola-Heaton22">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XygZjbNRap0C&q=nigeria+as+a+pariah+state+abacha&pg=PR19|title=A History of Nigeria|author=Falola & Heaton|date=24 April 2008|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781139472036|page=xix|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> While hosting ], Abacha admitted he was advised against interfering with Saro-Wiwa's trial—but made assurances that he would use his rank in government to commute the sentence if death sentence was pronounced. Justice Ibrahim Auta was the judge presiding over the proceedings and sentenced Saro-Wiwa to ].<ref>{{cite news |date=16 March 2011 |title=Ken-Saro Wiwa Killer Judge Becomes Acting Chief Judge Of Nigeria |work=saharareporters.com |url=http://saharareporters.com/2011/03/16/ken-saro-wiwa-killer-judge-becomes-acting-chief-judge-nigeria |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref> Abacha did not commute the sentence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2024 |title=DEATH SENTENCE APPROVED FOR NIGERIAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/11/09/death-sentence-approved-for-nigerian-rights-activist/e68321bf-2018-43f3-b6b2-dd4e7aef08c8/ |access-date=15 February 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
			In 1997, ]'s West African Tour to Sani Abacha to mark the new Islamic year directly infringed United Nations Sanctions on Libya, yet he was greeted by thousands of Abacha's supporters who came out to demonstrate their loyalty in ].<ref>{{citation|last=AP Archive|title=Nigeria - Gaddafi arrives to celebrate holiday|date=21 July 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuthDUJZAQc| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/CuthDUJZAQc| archive-date=17 November 2021 | url-status=live|access-date=31 March 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Libyan leader sought to strengthen relations with the country, as a way to strengthen his agenda of ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 1997 |title=Gaddafi blames West for Islam's image |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12323114.gaddafi-blames-west-for-islams-image/ |access-date=15 February 2024 |website=The Herald |language=en}}</ref>
			Abacha intervened in the ]. Through the ], Abacha sent troops to ] to fight against the rising insurgency in the country. The Civil War, which began in 1989, saw an influx of ] troops from 1990 when Abacha was defence minister.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Amao |first1=Olumuyiwa Babatunde |last2=Maiangwa |first2=Benjamin |date=2 January 2017 |title=Has the ''Giant'' gone to sleep? Re-assessing Nigeria's response to the Liberian Civil War (1990–1997) and the Boko Haram insurgency (2009–2015) |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00020184.2017.1285665 |journal=African Studies |volume=76 |issue=1 |pages=22–43 |doi=10.1080/00020184.2017.1285665 |issn=0002-0184}}</ref>
			Despite being repeatedly condemned by the ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/11/09/braun|title=Return of the ugly American|work=salon.com|date=10 November 1999 }}</ref> Abacha did have a few ties to American politicians. In 1997, Senator ] (]-]) travelled to Nigeria to meet with Abacha as a representative of the "]", a group of ] politicians and civic leaders. Abacha and the Family had a business and political relationship from that point until his death.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/11/doug-coe-inhofe-siljander-c-street|title=Junkets for Jesus|work=Mother Jones}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=121755993|title=A Different Perspective On 'The Family' And Uganda|date=22 December 2009|work=NPR.org}}</ref> Abacha also developed ties with other American political figures such as Senator ] (D-Illinois) Rev. ] and Minister ]. Several African American political leaders visited Nigeria during his reign and Farrakhan supported his administration.
			== Personal life and death==
			Abacha was married to ] and had seven sons and three daughters. As of 2018, he had thirty-three grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |title=Newsmaker Profiles: Sani Abacha Nigerian President |url=http://www.cnn.com/resources/newsmakers/world/africa/abacha.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040408102654/http://www.cnn.com/resources/newsmakers/world/africa/abacha.html |archive-date=8 April 2004 |access-date=26 September 2014 |publisher=]}}</ref>
			The scars on his face were ].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rupert |first=James |date=9 June 1998 |title=Gen. Sani Abacha dies |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1998/06/09/gen-sani-abacha-dies/525d7c85-020d-4327-a342-e904104daf1d/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
			On Monday 8 June 1998, Abacha died in the ] in ].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The Trans-Pacific, Volume 24, Issue 24 - 1936-06-11 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/36722_meao_transpacific_1936-06-11-007 |access-date=14 February 2024 |website=Manchuria Daily News Online|doi=10.1163/36722_meao_transpacific_1936-06-11-007 }}</ref> He was buried on the same day according to ] and without an ], fueling speculation that he may have been assassinated.<ref name="Abacha Profile">{{cite web |title=General Sani Abacha Profile |url=http://www.africa-confidential.com/whos-who-profile/id/2651/ |access-date=19 June 2012 |publisher=Africa Confidential}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Masland |first1=Tom |last2=Bartholet |first2=Jeffrey |last3=Johnson |first3=Scott |date=13 March 2000 |title=Tracking Abacha's Billions |url= |journal=Newsweek (Atlantic Edition) |volume=135 |issue=11 |pages=16}}</ref> The government identified the cause of death as a sudden ].<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=Tim |date=11 July 1998 |title=U.S. Aides Say Nigeria Leader Might Have Been Poisoned |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/11/world/us-aides-say-nigeria-leader-might-have-been-poisoned.html?scp=8&sq=abacha&st=cse |access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref> It is believed by foreign diplomats, including United States intelligence analysts, that he may have been poisoned while in the company of prostitutes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=Tim |date=11 July 1998 |title=U.S. Aides Say Nigeria Leader Might Have Been Poisoned |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/11/world/us-aides-say-nigeria-leader-might-have-been-poisoned.html}}</ref> His ], Hamza al-Mustapha, believed he was poisoned by Israeli operatives in the company of ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Opejobi |first=Seun |date=19 June 2017 |title=Details of how Abacha died in 1998 – Al-Mustapha |url=https://dailypost.ng/2017/06/19/details-abacha-died-1998-al-mustapha/ |access-date=24 January 2020 |website=Daily Post Nigeria |language=en-US}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was allegedly about to transfer power to a civilian government in October 1998, implemented in October 1995.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/analysis/81060.stm |title=Analysis &#124; Nigeria: General Abacha's era of dictatorship |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> After Abacha's death, General ] became head of state, whose short tenure ushered in the ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Sani Abacha: Timeline of the late Nigerian dictator's life |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-f9f1cd17-2c50-442e-88fc-e2deb46dbde1 |access-date=27 May 2020 |publisher=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
			== Dates of rank ==
			{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
			!Year
			!Insignia
			!Rank
			|-
			|1963
			|]
			|] (Commissioned)
			|-
			|1966
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1967
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1969
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1972
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1975
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1980
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1984
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|1987
			|]
			|]
			|-
			|October 1990
			|]
			|]
			|}
			== See also ==
			{{Portal|Nigeria|Biography}}
			*]
	==References==		==References==
	{{Reflist|2}}		{{Reflist|30em}}
	==External links==		==External links==
			{{Commons category}}
	{{Portal|Nigeria|Biography}}
	* {{Worldcat id|lccn-n97-13294}}
	* {{NYTtopic|people/a/sani_abacha}}		* {{NYTtopic|people/a/sani_abacha}}
	* , '']'', 8 June 1998		* , '']'', 8 June 1998
Line 112:		Line 2,928:
	{{s-end}}		{{s-end}}
	{{Nigerian_Heads_of State}}		{{Nigerian Heads of State}}
	{{Chiefs Of Army Staff (COAS) Nigeria}}		{{Chiefs of Army Staff (COAS) Nigeria}}
			{{Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) Nigeria}}
	{{NigerianDefenceMinisters}}		{{NigerianDefenceMinisters}}
	{{Authority control|VIAF=80884465}}		{{Authority control}}
	{{Persondata
	| NAME = Abacha, Sani
	| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
	| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Military leader, politician
	| DATE OF BIRTH = 20 September 1943
	| PLACE OF BIRTH = ], ]
	| DATE OF DEATH = 17 June 1998
	| PLACE OF DEATH = ], ]
	}}
	{{DEFAULTSORT:Abacha, Sani}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Abacha, Sani}}
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]
	]		]
			]
	]		]
	]		]
			]
			]
			]
			]
	]		]
			]
			]
			]
			]

---

Latest revision as of 01:25, 27 December 2024

Military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998

GeneralSani AbachaGCFR
Portrait, c. 1993–1998
10th Head of State of Nigeria
In office 17 November 1993 – 8 June 1998
Chief of General Staff	Oladipo Diya
Preceded by	Ernest Shonekan
Succeeded by	Abdulsalami Abubakar
Defence Minister of Nigeria
In office August 1990 – 8 June 1998
President	Ibrahim Babangida Ernest Shonekan Himself
Preceded by	Domkat Bali
Succeeded by	Abdulsalami Abubakar
Chief of Defence Staff
In office August 1990 – 17 November 1993
President	Ibrahim Babangida Ernest Shonekan
Preceded by	Domkat Bali
Succeeded by	Oladipo Diya
Chief of Army Staff
In office August 1985 – August 1990
President	Ibrahim Babangida
Preceded by	Ibrahim Babangida
Succeeded by	Salihu Ibrahim
Personal details
Born	(1943-09-20)20 September 1943 Kano, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now Kano, Kano, Nigeria)
Died	8 June 1998(1998-06-08) (aged 54) Aso Villa, Abuja, Nigeria
Cause of death	Disputed
Political party	none (military)
Spouse	Maryam Abacha
Children	See Ibrahim Mohammed Abba Mahmud Sadiq Zainab Fatima Gumsu Rakiya Abdullahi Mustapha
Occupation	Military officer
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Nigeria
Branch/service	Nigerian Army
Years of service	1963–1998
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Nigerian Civil War First Liberian Civil War

Sani Abacha GCFR ((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 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 involved in all the military coups in Nigeria during his military career. In 1966, when he was still a second lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion in Kaduna, he took part in the July 1966 Nigerian counter-coup from the conceptual stage. He could well have been a participant in the Lagos or Abeokuta phases of the coup the previous January as well. In 1969, he fought during the Nigerian Civil War as a platoon and battalion commander. He later became commander of the 2nd Infantry Division in 1975. In 1983, Abacha was general officer commanding of the 2nd Mechanised Division, and was appointed a member of the Supreme Military Council.

In 1983, Abacha played a prominent role in the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état which brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power; and the 1985 Nigerian coup d'état which removed Buhari and brought General Ibrahim Babangida to power. When General Ibrahim Babangida was named President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1985, Abacha was named Chief of Army Staff. He was later appointed Minister of Defence in 1990.

Abacha served as Chief of Army Staff from 1985 to 1990, as Chief of Defence Staff from 1990 to 1993, and as Minister of Defence. Abacha is noted for having been the first Nigerian Army officer to attain the rank of a full military general without skipping a single rank.

Seizure of power

Main article: 1993 Nigerian coup d'état

Abacha was the defence minister and most senior official within the military hierarchy during the crisis of the Third Republic. He orchestrated the coup d'état of 1993 which overthrew the Interim National Government of Ernest Shonekan. In his nationwide broadcast, Abacha portrayed the overthrow as an act of stability brought about through the socio-political uncertainties caused by the 1993 presidential election.

Head of state

Abacha ruled as Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998. In September 1994, he issued a decree that placed his government above the jurisdiction of the courts effectively giving him absolute power. Another decree gave him the right to detain anyone for up to three months without trial. He further abrogated Decree 691 of 1993.

Regime maintenance

Abacha assembled a personal security force of 3,000 men trained in North Korea. Abacha's chief security officer Hamza al-Mustapha had an iron grip on the apparatus of military security. The Nigeria Police Force underwent a large-scale retraining. The state cracked down ruthlessly on criminals and dissidents, the National Democratic Coalition was attributed with several bombings across the country, and several members were arrested. When Moshood Abiola proclaimed himself president, he was jailed for treason and subsequently died in custody. Also, former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo was jailed for treason and accused of plotting a coup together with General Oladipo Diya. In 1997, General Shehu Yar'Adua who was also jailed died in custody. Abacha's regime was accused of human rights abuses, especially after the hanging of Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa (only one of several executions of Ogoni activists opposed to the exploitation of Nigerian resources by the multinational petroleum company, Royal Dutch Shell), whose death later led to the eviction of Nigeria from the Commonwealth Nations. Wole Soyinka was charged in absentia with treason. Abacha's regime suffered opposition externally by pro-democracy activists.

National economy

Abacha's administration oversaw an increase in the country's foreign exchange reserves from $494 million in 1993 to $9.6 billion by the middle of 1997, and reduced the external debt of Nigeria from $36 billion in 1993 to $27 billion by 1997. Abacha also constructed between 25 and 100 km of urban road in major cities such as Kano, Gusau, Benin, Funtua, Zaria, Enugu, Kaduna, Aba, Lagos, Lokoja and Port Harcourt. Abacha brought the privatisation programs of the Ibrahim Babangida administration to a halt, reduced an inflation rate of 54% inherited from Ernest Shonekan to 8.5% between 1993 and 1998, all while the nation's primary commodity, oil was at an average of $15 per barrel. GDP growth, despite being estimated to be higher than the 2.2% growth in 1995, was largely limited to the petroleum sector.

Embezzlement of state funds

The unprecedented economic achievements coincided with the rapid expansion of embezzlement hitherto unseen in the history of corruption in Nigeria in the alleged saga known as "Abacha loot". Abacha's national security adviser, Alhaji Ismaila Gwarzo, was accused by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to have played a central role in the looting and transfer of money to overseas accounts. Abacha's son, Mohammed Abacha and best friend Alhaji Mohammed M. Sada were also involved. A preliminary report published by the Abdulsalam Abubakar transitional government in November 1998 described the process. The report mentioned that Sani Abacha told Ismaila Gwarzo to provide fake national security funding requests, which Abacha approved. The funds were usually sent in cash or traveller's cheques by the Central Bank of Nigeria to Gwarzo, who took them to Abacha's house. Mohammed Sada then arranged to launder the money to offshore accounts. An estimated $1.4 billion in cash was delivered in this way.

In 2004, a list of the ten most self-enriching leaders in the previous two decades was released; in order of amount allegedly stolen, the fourth-ranked of these leaders was Abacha and his family who are alleged to have embezzled between $1 billion – $5 billion. In 2002, rumours circulated that Abacha's family purportedly agreed to return $1.2 billion. Sources in the Obasanjo administration disclosed that the whole Abacha loot was politicised by the administration for his re-election bid. On 7 August 2014, the United States Department of Justice announced the forfeiture of US$480 million, the largest in its history, to the Nigerian government. Jersey discovered more than $267 million in funds that were allegedly laundered through the U.S. banking system and deposited in a Jersey account (£210m in British pounds). In 2019, more than 20 years after his death the U.S. Justice Department, Jersey courts and the government of Nigeria completed a civil asset forfeiture against the funds and they will be divided between those countries.

National politics

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Abacha oversaw the re-organisation of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, in order to reflect cultural, economic, and political realities of the regions:

• North Central: Benue State, Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa State, Niger State, Plateau State and Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
• North East: Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Borno State, Gombe State, Taraba State and Yobe State.
• North West: Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Sokoto State and Zamfara State.
• South East: Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, Enugu State and Imo State.
• South South: Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Cross River State, Delta State, Edo State and Rivers State.
• South West: Ekiti State, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Osun State and Oyo State.

This was achieved after adding six states to the already existing 30 to make up the present 36 states in the country.

Abacha held a constitutional conference between 1993 and 1995. Early in 1998, Abacha announced that elections would be held on 1 August, with a view toward handing power to a civilian government on 1 October. It later became apparent that Abacha had no intention of relinquishing power. By April 1998, Abacha had coerced the country's five political parties into endorsing him as the sole presidential candidate.

Foreign policy

In 1995, following the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations. While hosting Nelson Mandela, Abacha admitted he was advised against interfering with Saro-Wiwa's trial—but made assurances that he would use his rank in government to commute the sentence if death sentence was pronounced. Justice Ibrahim Auta was the judge presiding over the proceedings and sentenced Saro-Wiwa to death by hanging. Abacha did not commute the sentence.

In 1997, Muammar Gaddafi's West African Tour to Sani Abacha to mark the new Islamic year directly infringed United Nations Sanctions on Libya, yet he was greeted by thousands of Abacha's supporters who came out to demonstrate their loyalty in Kano. The Libyan leader sought to strengthen relations with the country, as a way to strengthen his agenda of Pan-Africanism.

Abacha intervened in the Liberian Civil War. Through the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group, Abacha sent troops to Liberia to fight against the rising insurgency in the country. The Civil War, which began in 1989, saw an influx of Nigerian troops from 1990 when Abacha was defence minister.

Despite being repeatedly condemned by the US State Department, Abacha did have a few ties to American politicians. In 1997, Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) travelled to Nigeria to meet with Abacha as a representative of the "Family", a group of evangelical Christian politicians and civic leaders. Abacha and the Family had a business and political relationship from that point until his death. Abacha also developed ties with other American political figures such as Senator Carol Moseley Braun (D-Illinois) Rev. Jesse Jackson and Minister Louis Farrakhan. Several African American political leaders visited Nigeria during his reign and Farrakhan supported his administration.

Personal life and death

Abacha was married to Maryam Abacha and had seven sons and three daughters. As of 2018, he had thirty-three grandchildren.

The scars on his face were tribal markings.

On Monday 8 June 1998, Abacha died in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. He was buried on the same day according to Muslim tradition and without an autopsy, fueling speculation that he may have been assassinated. The government identified the cause of death as a sudden heart attack. It is believed by foreign diplomats, including United States intelligence analysts, that he may have been poisoned while in the company of prostitutes. His chief security officer, Hamza al-Mustapha, believed he was poisoned by Israeli operatives in the company of Yasser Arafat. At the time of his death, he was allegedly about to transfer power to a civilian government in October 1998, implemented in October 1995. After Abacha's death, General Abdulsalami Abubakar became head of state, whose short tenure ushered in the Fourth Nigerian Republic.

Dates of rank

Year	Insignia	Rank
1963		Second lieutenant (Commissioned)
1966		Lieutenant
1967		Captain
1969		Major
1972		Lieutenant colonel
1975		Colonel
1980		Brigadier general
1984		Major general
1987		Lieutenant general
October 1990		General

See also

• List of unsolved deaths

References

1. Okocha, Chuks (16 June 2021). "Al-Mustapha: How Abacha Died". This day live.com. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
2. Kaufman, Michael T. (9 June 1998). "NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality In an Era When Brutality Was Standard". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
3. Kaufman, Michael T. (9 June 1998). "NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality in an Era when Brutality Was Standard". The New York Times.
4. "Nigeria: Statements on Assassination, 6/5/'96".
5. "The World's All-Time Most Corrupt Leaders". Forbes. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
6. Barrett, Devlin (5 March 2014). "U.S. Seizes Largest Ever Embezzlement by Foreign Dictator". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
7. "African kleptocrats are finding it tougher to stash cash in the West". The Economist. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
8. Olawoyin, Oladeinde (23 May 2018). "Again, Buhari lauds late kleptocrat dictator, Sani Abacha". Premium Times (Nigeria). Retrieved 26 May 2020.
9. "U.S. Freezes More Than $458 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Kleptocracy Forfeiture Action Ever Brought in the U.S." US Department of Justice. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
10. "Nigeria to recover $300m stolen by its former military ruler". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
11. "20 things to remember about Abacha". TheCable. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
12. "Sani Abacha | Nigerian military leader". Encyclopedia Britannica.
13. "NEW CHAPTER IN NIGERIA: THE OBITUARY; Sani Abacha, 54, a Beacon of Brutality In an Era When Brutality Was Standard". The New York Times. 9 June 1998. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
14. Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966–1976). Algora. p. 97. ISBN 9780875867090.
15. Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria's Military Coup Culture (1966–1976). Algora Publishing. ISBN 978-0-87586-709-0.
16. Akyeampong, Emmanuel Kwaku; Gates, Henry Louis (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
17. Balogun, M.J. (2009), Balogun, M.J. (ed.), "Leadership as an Imposition: the Military Shortcut to Power", The Route to Power in Nigeria: A Dynamic Engagement Option for Current and Aspiring Leaders, Palgrave Macmillan US, pp. 163–193, doi:10.1057/9780230100848_9, ISBN 978-0-230-10084-8
18. "Nigeria: Palace Coup of 1985 By Dr. Nowa Omoigui". www.waado.org. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
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External links

• Sani Abacha collected news and commentary at The New York Times
• Abacha dies at 54, BBC News, 8 June 1998

Military offices
Preceded byIbrahim Babangida	Chief of the Army Staff 1985–1990	Succeeded bySalihu Ibrahim
Political offices
Preceded byErnest Shonekan	Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council of Nigeria 1993–1998	Succeeded byAbdulsalami Abubakar
Preceded byJerry Rawlings	Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States 1996–1998	Succeeded byAbdulsalami Abubakar

v t e Heads of state of Nigeria
Queen (1960–1963)	Elizabeth II
President of the First Republic (1963–1966)	Azikiwe
Military regime (1966–1979)	Aguiyi-Ironsi Gowon Mohammed Obasanjo
President of the Second Republic (1979–1983)	Shagari
Military regime (1983–1999)	Buhari Babangida Shonekan (interim)* Abacha Abubakar
President of the Fourth Republic (from 1999)	Obasanjo Yar'Adua Jonathan Buhari Tinubu
*Civilian; headed transition to abortive Third Republic

v t e Chiefs of army staff (COAS) Nigeria

Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1965–1966) Yakubu Gowon (1966) Joseph Akahan (1967–1968) Hassan Katsina (1968–1971) David Ejoor (1971–1975) Theophilus Danjuma (1975–1979) Ipoola Alani Akinrinade (1979–1980) Gibson Jalo (1980–1981) Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi (1981–1983) Ibrahim Babangida (1984–1985) Sani Abacha (1985–1990) Salihu Ibrahim (1990–1993) Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (1993) Chris Alli (1993–1994) Alwali Kazir (1994–1996) Victor Malu (1999–2001) Alexander Ogomudia (2001–2003) Martin Luther Agwai (2003–2006) Owoye Andrew Azazi (2006–2007) Luka Yusuf (2007–2008) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (2008–2010) Azubuike Ihejirika (2010–2014) Kenneth Minimah (2014–2015) Tukur Yusuf Buratai (2015–2021) Ibrahim Attahiru (2021) Faruk Yahaya (2021–2023) Taoreed Lagbaja (2023–2024) Olufemi Oluyede (2024–)

v t e Chiefs of defence staff (CDS) Nigeria

Alani Akinrinade (1980–1981) Gibson Jalo (1981–1983) Domkat Bali (1984–1990) Sanni Abacha (1990–1993) Oladipo Diya (1993–1993) Abdulsalami Abubakar (1993–1998) Al-Amin Daggash (1998–1999) Ibrahim Ogohi (1999–2003) Alexander Ogomudia (2003–2006) Martin Luther Agwai (2006–2007) Owoye Andrew Azazi (2007–2008) Paul Dike (2008–2010) Oluseyi Petinrin (2010–2012) Ola Ibrahim (2012–2014) Alex Sabundu Badeh (2014–2015) Abayomi Olonisakin (2015–2021) Lucky Irabor (2021–2023) Christopher Musa (2023–)

v t e Ministers of defence of Nigeria
Ministers of defence	Tafawa Balewa Inuwa Wada Muhammadu Ribadu Yakubu Gowon I. D. Bisalla Olusegun Obasanjo Iya Abubakar Akanbi Oniyangi Domkat Bali Sani Abacha Theophilus Danjuma Rabiu Kwankwaso Yayale Ahmed Shettima Mustapha Godwin Abbe Adetokunbo Kayode Haliru Mohammed Bello Olusola Obada Aliyu Mohammed Gusau Mansur Dan Ali Bashir Salihi Magashi
Ministers of state for defence (junior minister)	Dupe Adelaja Roland Oritsejafor Mike Onolememen Fidelia Akubata Njeze

Categories:

• 1943 births
• 1998 deaths
• 20th-century Nigerian politicians
• Abacha family
• Chiefs of Army Staff (Nigeria)
• Heads of state of Nigeria
• Graduates of the Mons Officer Cadet School
• Kanuri people
• Leaders who took power by coup
• Nigerian generals
• Nigerian Muslims
• Participants in the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup
• Participants in the 1983 Nigerian military coup
• Participants in the August 1985 Nigerian military coup
• People from Kano
• Rumfa College alumni
• Unsolved deaths in Nigeria
• Defence ministers of Nigeria
• Chiefs of Defence Staff (Nigeria)