Human rights attorney Femi Falana has dismissed recent comments made by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who suggested that the late General Sani Abacha did not embezzle public funds. Falana criticized these remarks as a dishonest attempt to alter historical records.
During a recent interview, Abdulsalami claimed that the recovered funds linked to Abacha were actually government reserves intended to insulate Nigeria from potential international sanctions. Falana countered this by pointing to actions taken by Abdulsalami’s own military government in 1998, specifically the formation of a Special Investigation Panel led by Peter Gana. That panel identified significant assets and cash diverted through fraudulent security deals involving the Central Bank of Nigeria and Abacha’s inner circle.
Furthermore, Falana highlighted the enactment of the Forfeiture of Assets Decree No. 53 of 1999, which was signed by Abdulsalami himself. This legal instrument specifically targeted assets acquired through corruption during the Abacha era. Falana noted that subsequent asset recoveries under the administrations of Obasanjo, Jonathan, and Buhari, along with rulings from various foreign judicial bodies, firmly establish the illicit nature of the funds.
Highlighting ongoing international efforts, such as France’s 2023 commitment to return $150 million, Falana argued that the evidence remains overwhelming. He concluded by demanding an apology from the former Head of State and suggested that Abdulsalami should resign from his position as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, citing that such revisionist statements jeopardize public trust in the organization.
