Maryam Abacha, widow of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has made startling claims regarding funds allegedly secured by her late husband for Nigeria, stating that the money "vanished" shortly after his death.
Speaking on the 27th anniversary of her husband's death, Mrs. Abacha vehemently denied allegations that the late General looted and stashed billions of dollars in foreign bank accounts during his tenure from 1993 to 1998.
"Who is the witness of the monies that were being stashed? Did you see the signature or the evidence of any monies stashed abroad?" she questioned, challenging critics to provide concrete evidence linking her husband to the alleged looted funds.
"And the monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that," Mrs. Abacha added, suggesting that funds her husband had allegedly secured for the nation disappeared after his death.
The Controversial 'Abacha Loot'
General Sani Abacha, who died on June 8, 1998, has been at the center of one of Nigeria's most significant corruption scandals. Following his death, allegations emerged that he had embezzled and hidden substantial sums of money in foreign accounts.
In 2014, the Swiss government announced plans to return $320 million (£240m) of funds allegedly stolen by Abacha. This money had been frozen by a Swiss court following legal proceedings against Abacha's son, Abba. The funds, originally deposited in Luxembourg, represent only a fraction of the billions allegedly looted during Abacha's rule.
Recovering what has become known as the "Abacha loot" has been a major priority for successive Nigerian governments, with various repatriations occurring over the years.
Widow Questions Motives Behind Allegations
Mrs. Abacha suggested that the accusations against her husband might be rooted in tribal or religious prejudice. "Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem or what is the problem with Nigerians?" she asked.
She further expressed concern about divisiveness in Nigeria: "Why are we so bad towards each other? Because somebody is a northerner or a southerner, somebody is a Muslim or a Christian, or somebody is nice or... It's not fair."
The widow concluded by offering prayers for Nigeria and its citizens, calling for "goodness in our hearts" and an end to "telling lies and blaming people."
These statements come amid ongoing efforts by Nigeria to recover funds allegedly stolen during Abacha's regime, with several countries having already returned significant sums to the Nigerian government over the years.
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