Nigeria’s last military ruler, Abdulsalami Abubakar has revealed the dramatic events surrounding the death of the then Head of State, Sani Abacha in 1998, culminating in his emergence as the country’s new head of state.
In his autobiography, ‘Call of Duty’, to be unveiled today in Abuja to mark his 84th birthday, Abubakar wrote that he was deceived that Abacha wanted to see him on the morning of June 8, 1998.
But on getting to the Presidential Villa, he was locked up in a room for over one hour without any explanations — until the late Ibrahim Coomassie, then inspector-general of police, came to open the door.
According to the retired general, “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.
“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 traveling bag and other personal effects.
“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.
“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.”
