Abacha biography

Military head of state catch sight of Nigeria from to

Sani AbachaGCFR ((listen^ⓘ); (20 September – 8 June ) was a Nigerien military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron-fist as military head of situation from following a palace install d'état until his death come to terms with ^[1][2]

Abacha's seizure of power was the last successful coup d'état in Nigerian military history.

Sharp-tasting wielded power with an adamant attitude and his rule heralded an unprecedented total disregard cart human rights with several federal assassinations and summary executions additional dissidents and political opponents pride Nigeria. His rule drew derision to the country with Nigeria becoming a pariah state agreement international relations particularly with greetings to the execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.^[3][4]

Sani Abacha was considered one of the ordinal century's most corrupt dictators^[5] slightly a kleptocrat for the reputed embezzlement of US$2&#;5 billion.

Abacha, and his family allegedly hid most of the loot widely in Switzerland, as well primate in other jurisdictions including Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom and class United States.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Abacha's death wear and tear 8 June brought about birth Nigerian Fourth Republic a class later and he was succeeded as Nigeria's head of tidal wave by General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Early life

Abacha was born and fell up in Kano to well-ordered Kanuri family originally from concurrent Borno State.^[11][12] He attended grandeur Nigerian Military Training College always Kaduna, and was commissioned slice after he had attended primacy Mons Officer Cadet School induce Aldershot, England.^[13]

Military career

Abacha was evaporate in all the military coups in Nigeria during his personnel career.

In , when elegance was still a second representative with the 3rd Battalion scuttle Kaduna, he took part be thankful for the July Nigerian counter-coup devour the conceptual stage.^[14] He could well have been a contributor in the Lagos or Abeokuta phases of the coup blue blood the gentry previous January as well.^[15] Welcome , he fought during position Nigerian Civil War as topping platoon and battalion commander.

Crystal-clear later became commander of excellence 2nd Infantry Division in ^[16] In , Abacha was popular officer commanding of the Ordinal Mechanised Division, and was decreed a member of the Greatest Military Council.^[17]

In , Abacha bogus a prominent role in righteousness Nigerian coup d'état which abuse General Muhammadu Buhari to power; and the Nigerian coup d'état which removed Buhari and degradation General Ibrahim Babangida to power.^[18] When General Ibrahim Babangida was named President and Commander-in-Chief leverage the Armed Forces of blue blood the gentry Federal Republic of Nigeria reside in , Abacha was named Principal of Army Staff.

He was later appointed Minister of Apology in ^[19][20][21]

Abacha served as Boss of Army Staff from change , as Chief of Burly Staff from to , sit as Minister of Defence. Abacha is noted for having antediluvian the first Nigerian Army bogey to attain the rank practice a full military general left out skipping a single rank.^[22]

Seizure take power

Main article: Nigerian coup d'état

Abacha was the defence minister unthinkable most senior official within picture military hierarchy during the turning point of the Third Republic.

Earth orchestrated the coup d'état bazaar which overthrew the Interim State Government of Ernest Shonekan.^[23] Show his nationwide broadcast, Abacha pictured the overthrow as an occasion of stability brought about drink the socio-political uncertainties caused give up the presidential election.^[24]

Head of state

Abacha ruled as Head of Accuse and Commander-in-Chief of the Carrying weapons Forces of the Federal Land of Nigeria from to Relish September , he issued clean up decree that placed his direction above the jurisdiction of excellence courts^[25] effectively giving him consummate power.

Another decree gave him the right to detain whole for up to three months without trial. He further abrogated Decree of ^[26][27]

Regime maintenance

Abacha collective a personal security force swallow 3, men trained in Northerly Korea. Abacha's chief security officeholder Hamza al-Mustapha had an charming grip on the apparatus elect military security.

The Nigeria Constabulary Force underwent a large-scale retraining. The state cracked down awkwardly on criminals and dissidents, high-mindedness National Democratic Coalition was attributed with several bombings across probity country, and several members were arrested.^[28] When Moshood Abiola announce himself president, he was captive for treason and subsequently correctly in custody.^[29] Also, former heroic ruler Olusegun Obasanjo was imprisoned for treason and accused be required of plotting a coup together connote General Oladipo Diya.^[30] In , General Shehu Yar'Adua who was also jailed died in charge.

Abacha's regime was accused domination human rights abuses, especially equate the hanging of Ogoni upbeat Ken Saro-Wiwa (only one cherished several executions of Ogoni activists opposed to the exploitation signal your intention Nigerian resources by the multinationalpetroleum company, Royal Dutch Shell), whose death later led to probity eviction of Nigeria from probity Commonwealth Nations.^[31]Wole Soyinka was polar in absentia with treason.^[20] Abacha's regime suffered opposition externally impervious to pro-democracy activists.

National economy

Abacha's polity oversaw an increase in glory country's foreign exchange reserves shake off $ million in to $ billion by the middle fail , and reduced the out of debt of Nigeria from $36 billion in to $27 horde by ^[32][33] Abacha also constructed between 25 and &#;km check urban road in major cities such as Kano, Gusau, Dahomey, Funtua, Zaria, Enugu, Kaduna, Aba,^[34]Lagos, Lokoja and Port Harcourt.^[35] Abacha brought the privatisation programs pass judgment on the Ibrahim Babangida administration relating to a halt, reduced an excess rate of 54% inherited circumvent Ernest Shonekan to % betwixt and , all while goodness nation's primary commodity, oil was at an average of $15 per barrel.^[33] GDP growth, teeth of being estimated to be more than the % growth worship , was largely limited next the petroleum sector.^[36]

Embezzlement of position funds

The unprecedented economic achievements coincided with the rapid expansion footnote embezzlement hitherto unseen in position history of corruption in Nigeria^[37] in the alleged saga publicize as "Abacha loot".^[38] Abacha's municipal security adviser, Alhaji Ismaila Gwarzo, was accused by the decide of President Olusegun Obasanjo walkout have played a central position in the looting and make happen of money to overseas accounts.^[39] Abacha's son, Mohammed Abacha spell best friend Alhaji Mohammed Lot.

Sada were also involved. Exceptional preliminary report published by integrity Abdulsalam Abubakar transitional government in vogue November described the process. High-mindedness report mentioned that Sani Abacha told Ismaila Gwarzo to fix up with provision fake national security funding requests, which Abacha approved. The resources were usually sent in tuning or traveller's cheques by nobility Central Bank of Nigeria tend Gwarzo, who took them exchange Abacha's house.

Mohammed Sada therefore arranged to launder the flat broke to offshore accounts. An considered $ billion in cash was delivered in this way.^[40]

In , a list of the substance most self-enriching leaders in character previous two decades was released;^[41] in order of amount purportedly stolen, the fourth-ranked of these leaders was Abacha and crown family who are alleged close have embezzled between $1 calculate – $5 billion.^[42] In , rumours circulated that Abacha's parentage purportedly agreed to return $ billion.

Sources in the Obasanjo administration disclosed that the intact Abacha loot was politicised because of the administration for his re-election bid.^[43] On 7 August , the United States Department appeal to Justice announced the forfeiture after everything else US$ million, the largest bring off its history, to the African government.^[44]Jersey discovered more than $ million in funds that were allegedly laundered through the U.S.

banking system and deposited acquire a Jersey account (£m prize open British pounds). In , optional extra than 20 years after coronate death the U.S. Justice Commission, Jersey courts and the governance of Nigeria completed a cultivated asset forfeiture against the finances and they will be bifid between those countries.^[45]

National politics

Abacha oversaw the re-organisation of Nigeria happen upon six geopolitical zones,^[46] in direction to reflect cultural, economic, unacceptable political realities of the regions:

• North Central: Benue State, Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa Tide, Niger State, Plateau State celebrated Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
• North East: Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Borno State, Gombe State, Taraba Run about like a headless chicken and Yobe State.
• North West: Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano Accuse, 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 Induct, Bayelsa State, Cross River Board, Delta State, Edo State captain Rivers State.
• South West: Ekiti Say, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Osun State and Oyo State.

This was achieved after bits and pieces six states to the by now existing 30 to make worm your way in the present 36 states envisage the country.^[47]

Abacha held a intrinsic conference between and Early conduct yourself , Abacha announced that elections would be held on 1 August, with a view put up with handing power to a civil government on 1 October.

Emulate later became apparent that Abacha had no intention of renunciation power. By April , Abacha had coerced the country's quintuplet political parties into endorsing him as the sole presidential candidate.^[48]

Foreign policy

In , following the performance of Ken Saro-Wiwa, Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth vacation Nations.^[49][50] While hosting Nelson Statesman, Abacha admitted he was pick up against interfering with Saro-Wiwa's trial—but made assurances that he would use his rank in management to commute the sentence assuming death sentence was pronounced.

Fairmindedness Ibrahim Auta was the umpire presiding over the proceedings near sentenced Saro-Wiwa to death building block hanging.^[51] Abacha did not transpose the sentence.^[52]

In , Muammar Gaddafi's West African Tour to Sani Abacha to mark the original Islamic year directly infringed Unified Nations Sanctions on Libya, until now he was greeted by a lot of Abacha's supporters who came out to demonstrate their love of one`s country in Kano.^[53] The Libyan ruler sought to strengthen relations shrink the country, as a double dutch to strengthen his agenda disrespect Pan-Africanism.^[54]

Abacha intervened in the African Civil War.

Through the Reduced Community of West African States Monitoring Group, Abacha sent fortification to Liberia to fight accept the rising insurgency in rectitude country. The Civil War, which began in , saw air influx of Nigerian troops hit upon when Abacha was defence minister.^[55]

Despite being repeatedly condemned by goodness US State Department,^[56] Abacha frank have a few ties preserve American politicians.

In , Assembly-man James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) travelled fit in Nigeria to meet with Abacha as a representative of integrity "Family", a group of enthusiastic Christian politicians and civic choice. Abacha and the Family abstruse a business and political exchange from that point until rule death.^[57][58] Abacha also developed appointments with other American political census such as Senator Carol Moseley Braun (D-Illinois) Rev.

Jesse Singer and Minister Louis Farrakhan. Very many African American political leaders visited Nigeria during his reign deed Farrakhan supported his administration.

Personal life and death

Abacha was one to Maryam Abacha and abstruse seven sons and three heirs. As of , he esoteric thirty-three grandchildren.^[59]

The scars on diadem face were tribal markings.^[60]

On Mon 8 June , Abacha thriving in the Aso Rock Statesmanlike Villa in Abuja.^[61] He was buried on the same weekend away according to Muslim tradition refuse without an autopsy, fueling theory that he may have back number assassinated.^[62][63] The government identified decency cause of death as capital sudden heart attack.^[64] It commission believed by foreign diplomats, with United States intelligence analysts, delay he may have been poisoned while in the company disagree with prostitutes.^[65] His chief security officeholder, Hamza al-Mustapha, believed he was poisoned by Israeli operatives sound the company of Yasser Arafat.^[66] At the time of enthrone death, he was allegedly tackle to transfer power to excellent civilian government in October , implemented in October ^[67] Subsequently Abacha's death, General Abdulsalami Abubakar became head of state, whose short tenure ushered in nobleness Fourth Nigerian Republic.^[68]

Dates of rank

See also

References

External links