ABUJA — Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), has pulled back the curtain on the turbulent days of General Sani Abacha’s military regime, revealing that a powerful “kitchen cabinet” repeatedly plotted his downfall and marked him for retirement and political isolation.
The startling disclosures were made in Abubakar’s newly unveiled autobiography, Call of Duty, which launched in Abuja alongside two companion volumes to mark his 84th birthday. The event drew Nigeria’s political heavyweights, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, and former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon.
The Plot Against the Generals
In a gripping account of the inner workings of the Abacha administration, Abubakar detailed how an influential clique operating outside formal government channels sought to purge the military top brass. According to Abubakar, this shadow group specifically targeted him alongside three other senior officers: Lt-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, Lt-Gen. Garba Duba, and Maj-Gen. Mohammed Haladu.
“A caucus that sprang up when he became Head of State didn’t want to see some faces around and often insisted that some officers be retired,” Abubakar wrote. He noted that they survived the purge largely because Abacha was devoted to friendship. “Ironically, all those hawks were retired before us. They became a pain in Abacha’s neck, and he had to get rid of them.”
Confrontations and Secret Agendas
Serving as Chief of Defence Staff at the time, Abubakar eventually confronted Abacha directly, demanding the disbandment of the rogue faction. Beyond seeking Abubakar’s exit, the hawkish clique also aggressively pushed for the arrest of former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida on fabricated charges. Abacha ultimately dismissed the proposal when the group failed to provide any actual offenses Babangida had committed.
Abubakar also used the memoir to set the record straight on the June 12 political crisis, noting that he and other top officials pleaded with Abacha to release the presumed election winner, Chief Moshood Abiola, and seek a one-on-one political solution. Abacha outrightly refused.
Addressing long-standing financial rumors, Abubakar strongly dismissed allegations that he received a $500 million cash payout following Abacha’s sudden death in 1998, calling the claims entirely fictitious.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar
While he is globally celebrated as the man who voluntarily returned Nigeria to democratic rule in less than a year, Abubakar’s life away from the Presidential Villa holds several surprising details:
- He Began in the Air Force, Not the Army: Despite making history as an Army General, Abubakar originally enlisted in the pioneering set of the Nigerian Air Force in October 1963.
- A Medical Crisis Changed His Destiny: While undergoing advanced flight training in Uetersen, West Germany, Abubakar suffered a severe bout of depression. The health crisis forced him to drop out of his final flight lessons. He was subsequently seconded to the Nigerian Army in 1966—a fortuitous twist of fate, as only Army officers went on to become military heads of state in Nigeria.
- The “Apolitical” Soldier: Before fate thrust him into the seat of Head of State following Abacha’s sudden death, Abubakar was widely known among his peers as a “rigorously apolitical” soldier who kept a straight face, avoided political factions, and never sought government appointments.
- A Passion for the Arts and Sports: Far from the rigid military stereotype, Abubakar is an avid photographer. During his active years, he was also heavily involved in sports, frequently playing hockey and squash.
- International Peace Broker: Though his tenure as Head of State was brief (lasting just 354 days), his post-presidency has been incredibly active. He has quietly brokered peace across the continent, serving as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the Democratic Republic of Congo and mediating the Liberian peace movement in 2003.
It pays to advertise on ABT NEWS www.abtnews.net. Please send all your enquiries to advertise@abtnews.net or +447918790290
By
