How Abacha dragged me into his coup — Abdulsalami

Former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has disclosed that the late General Sani Abacha personally pressured him to accept the position of Chief of Army Staff following the November 1993 coup.

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He asked if I was aware that Abacha and Gusau had travelled to Abuja. I was surprised and asked why they should travel to Abuja, because Abacha himself asked me to see him the next day.

Abubakar revealed in his autobiography, 'Call of Duty,' that he rejected the appointment twice. He insisted to Abacha that he did not wish to be a pawn for civilians seeking to manipulate the military. The book, which spans 264 pages and 27 chapters, was presented at a public event in Abuja celebrating Abubakar's 84th birthday.

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These Army guys are thinking of a coup. Let me tell you that the Navy would not be a part of it.

At the time of the coup that toppled the Interim National Government, Abubakar was serving as the Commandant of the National War College. General Abacha, then Minister of Defence, retained his position as the most senior military officer. Abubakar recounted receiving an urgent warning from Rear Admiral Suleiman Saidu, the then Chief of Naval Staff, who informed him about Abacha and Gusau's travel to Abuja and the military's potential involvement in a coup.

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You people are trying to remove Chief Ernest Shonekan.

Abubakar also mentioned being approached by retired Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who inquired about the political situation in Abuja and the rumored move against Chief Ernest Shonekan, the Head of the Interim National Government. Abubakar stated he had no prior knowledge of these plans. Shortly after these rumors, on November 17, 1993, Shonekan resigned, and Abacha assumed power. Abubakar declined to attend a subsequent meeting of senior military officers, citing a lack of formal invitation.

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I insisted to Abacha that he did not want to be made a tool in the hands of civilians seeking to use the military.