Sani Abacha

General Sani Abacha (Kano, 20 September 1943 – Abuja, 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian politician and military leader. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998.^[1] Image File history File links Sani Abacha, former President of Nigeria File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Sani Abacha, former President of Nigeria File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses of the word Kano see Kano (disambiguation). ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria, with an estimated population of 2. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Flag of the President of Nigeria This page contains a list of presidents and other heads of state of Nigeria since 1963. ...

Political life

Abacha was a Muslim of Kanuri extraction. He was instrumental in the two bloodless military coups d'état that brought and removed General Muhammadu Buhari from power in 1983 and 1985. When General Ibrahim Babangida was named President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1985, Abacha was named Chief of Army Staff. He was later appointed Minister of Defence in 1990.^[2] A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Turkish: Müslüman, Persian and Urdu: مسلمان, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... The Kanuri are an African ethnic group living in northeastern Nigeria in the state of Bornu. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ibrahim Babangida General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (born August 17, 1941), popularly known as IBB, was the military ruler of Nigeria from August 1985 until his departure from office under heavy popular pressure in 1993, after his annulment of elections held that year which were widely held to have been the...

Abacha took over power from the caretaker government of Chief Ernest Shonekan, which was put into place by General Ibrahim Babangida after his annulment of the 12 June 1993 elections (won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola) caused a massive popular uproar. Abacha's government was accused of human rights abuses, especially after the hanging of Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa by the Auta tribunal. His regime suffered stiff opposition internally and externally by pro-democracy activists who made the regime unpopular. Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan was born on May 9 1936) in Lagos south-west Nigeria. ... Ibrahim Babangida General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (born August 17, 1941), popularly known as IBB, was the military ruler of Nigeria from August 1985 until his departure from office under heavy popular pressure in 1993, after his annulment of elections held that year which were widely held to have been the... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola) (August 24, 1937?, Abeokuta - July 7, 1998, Abuja), was a Nigerian Yorùbá businessman and political figure. ... The Ogoni people are one of the many indigenous peoples in the Niger Delta region of southeast Nigeria. ... Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa (October 10, 1941 - November 10, 1995) was a Nigerian author, television producer and environmental activist. ...

General Abacha died at the age of 54 of an alleged heart attack at the presidential villa Abuja, and was buried on the same day without an autopsy, fuelling speculation that the general may have been poisoned by political rivals. After his death, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Nigeria's defence chief of staff, was sworn in as the country's head of state. Abubakar had never before held public office and was quick to announce a transition to democratic civilian rule which led to the election of President Olusegun Obasanjo.^[3] Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria, with an estimated population of 2. ... General Abdulsalam Abubakar (born June 13, 1942) became Nigerias eighth military Head of State in 1998, after Ironsi, Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo, Buhari, Babangida and Abacha, since the countrys independence from Britain in 1960. ... Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo (born March 5, 1937) has been the President of Nigeria since 1999. ...

Controversy

Corruption allegations

After Abacha's death, the new Nigerian head of state spread information that portrayed Abacha as a traitor and looter of the Nigerian treasury. The government of Obasanjo has implicated the deceased general and his family in a wholesale looting of Nigeria's coffers. The extent of his veniality seems to have surpassed even that of more notorious African rulers, such as the late Mobutu Sese Seko. Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa za Banga (October 14, 1930 – September 7, 1997), known commonly as Mobutu, or Joseph Mobutu-Sese Seko, born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) for 32 years (1965 – 1997). ...

According to post-Abacha governmental sources, some $4 billion (U.S.) in foreign assets have been traced to Abacha, his family and their representatives, $2.1 billion of which the Nigerian government tentatively came to an agreement with the Abacha family to return, with the quid pro quo being that the Abachas would be allowed to keep the rest of the money. Although this proposal caused a massive outcry at the time for seeming to reward the theft of public funds, it was subsequently rejected by the late dictator's son, Mohammed Abacha, who continues to maintain that all the assets in question were legitimately acquired.^[4] Although in 2002, Abacha's family accepted to return $1.2 billion that was taken from the central bank.^[5] Abacha was listed as the world's fourth most corrupt leader in recent history by Transparency International in 2004.^[6] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The names of Sani Abacha and his widow, Maryam, ^[7] are often used in 419 scams; he is “identified” in scam letters as the source for “money” that does not exist.^[8] Advance fee fraud, often also known as the Nigerian money transfer fraud, Nigerian scam or 419 scam after the relevant section of the Nigerian Criminal Code that it violates[1], is a fraudulent scheme to extract money from victims after making them believe they will get an immense fortune. ...

General Abacha served during the controversial execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa. On 10 November 1995, Saro-Wiwa was hanged by Abacha, resulting in the immediate suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth of Nations.^[3] Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa (October 10, 1941 - November 10, 1995) was a Nigerian author, television producer and environmental activist. ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ...

His sudden death

Abacha died while in the company of two Indian prostitutes. Though the official cause of his death was a heart attack, according to a widely held belief amongst Nigerians and Western Diplomats he overdosed on Viagra or Burantashi (a native Hausa-Fulani virility drug).^[9] Prostitution is the sale of sexual services (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for cash or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. ... Sildenafil citrate, sold under the names Viagra, Revatio and generically under various other names, is a drug used to treat male erectile dysfunction (impotence) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), developed by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. ... Burantashi (literally penis get up) is a native Hausa-Fulani virility drug similar to Viagra. ... The Hausa are a people of northern Nigeria and south-eastern Niger. ... Categories: Africa-related stubs | Burkina Faso | Cameroon | Ethnic groups of Africa | Fulani Empire | Mali | Nigeria ...

References

1. ^ Paden, John N. (2005) Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution, Brookings Institution Press. p. 240. ISBN 0-8157-6817-6.
2. ^ Oyewole, A. (1987) Historical Dictionary of Nigeria, Scarecrow Press. p. 385. ISBN 0-8108-1787-X.
3. ^ ^{a b} Kogan Page. (2003) Africa Review 2003/2004, Kogan Page. p. 257. ISBN 0-7494-4065-1.
4. ^ Easterly, William. (2002) The Elusive Quest for Growth, MIT Press. p. 245. ISBN 0-262-55042-3.
5. ^ The Worldwatch Institute. (2003) Vital Signs 2003, The Worldwatch Institute. p. 115. ISBN 0-393-32440-0.
6. ^ TI press release, London, 25 March 2004 [1]
7. ^ "Nigeria recovers Abacha's cash", BBC News, 1998-11-10. Retrieved on 2006-10-21.
8. ^ Who wants to be a millionaire? - An online collection of Nigerian scam mails
9. ^ Maier, Karl. (2000) "This House Has Fallen", PublicAffairs (chapter one). ISBN 1-891620-60-6

March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ...

External links

• Profile on Sani Abacha
• BBC article on Abacha

Heads of State of Nigeria
Nnamdi Azikiwe • Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi* • Yakubu Gowon* • Murtala Mohammed* • Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ* • Shehu Shagari • Muhammadu Buhari* • Ibrahim Babangida* • Ernest Shonekan*† • Sani Abacha* • Abdulsalami Abubakar* • Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ *military     †interim