Maryam Abacha, widow of Nigeria’s late military ruler General Sani Abacha, has dismissed long-standing allegations that her husband looted public funds during his time in office.
Speaking in an interview to mark the 27th anniversary of his death, Mrs Abacha described the claims as “untrue” and “a shame to tell lies on a dead man”, insisting that the funds recovered over the years did not belong to her husband.
“How can someone be called a thief only after his death?” she asked rhetorically. “What is this money they say they’re bringing back after more than 20 years?”
Sani Abacha, who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his sudden death in 1998, has been widely accused of embezzling billions of dollars in public funds. Several countries, including the United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, have repatriated large sums believed to be part of the Abacha loot.
Despite these recoveries, Maryam Abacha maintains that her husband was wrongly accused and unfairly vilified, particularly by people and institutions she claimed benefited from his rule.
Her comments have reignited debate over the late general’s legacy and the ongoing use of recovered funds, which successive Nigerian governments have pledged to channel into social welfare programmes and infrastructure projects.
