Former Nigerian Head of State, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has revealed how he was briefly confined in a room at the Presidential Villa on the morning of General Sani Abacha’s death in 1998, before later being informed of the military ruler’s passing and eventually emerging as his successor.
The account was contained in his newly released autobiography, Call of Duty, launched in Abuja to mark his 84th birthday.
According to Abubakar, he received an early morning call on June 8, 1998, summoning him to meet Abacha at the Presidential Villa. However, upon arrival, he was asked to wait in a room for over an hour under unusual circumstances.
He recounted that shortly after arriving, he was instructed to remain in a waiting room, despite his expectation of being promptly ushered in, as was customary during previous visits. He also noted that Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi later joined him while they both waited without explanation.
Abubakar said his concern grew when the door to the room was locked, describing the situation as suspicious and unlike standard protocol at the time.
After about an hour, the door was eventually opened by the then Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie, who asked him to follow him. It was then, Abubakar said, that he was informed that General Abacha had died.
“I was shocked. I asked what happened, but he insisted we proceed first,” he wrote, adding that he was later taken to see Abacha’s body, where he prayed for him before leaving the room.
He did not state who ordered the lockdown but suggested that events were already in motion behind the scenes before he was informed of the death.
Following Abacha’s passing, the Provisional Ruling Council subsequently selected Abubakar as Head of State. He went on to oversee a transition programme that culminated in the handover of power to an elected civilian government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo in May 1999.
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