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20 Things To Know About General Sani Abacha Who Died Exactly 20 Years Ago
In rememberance of her late father, Gumsu Sani Abacha, this morning wrote, ’20 year’s gone by… may ALLAH swt bless your soul. May he forgive your shortcomings and may Aljannah Firdaus be your final abode. Ameen. ALLAH ya jikan ka da rahamar sa. We miss you so much’.
Late General Sani Abacha, born on September 20, 1943. He was Nigeria’s military head of state from November 17, 1993 to June 8, 1998 when he died suddenly.
It is exactly 20 years since he died and below are major things to remember about the late dictator!
1. A Kanuri originally from Borno State, General Sani Abacha was born and brought up in Kano state, which he made his home.
2. He married a Shuwa Arab, Maryam, also from Borno state, in 1965 and they had six boys and three girls. The first child, Ibrahim, died in a plane crash in 1996.
3. The last of their children was born in Aso Rock in 1994 when Abacha was 50 and his wife 47. The boy was named Mustapha, supposedly after Abacha’s chief security officer, Hamza al Mustapha.
4. Abacha was the first and only military head of state who never skipped a rank to become a full-star general.
5. Abacha announced the coup that brought an end to the government of President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983, and brought Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to power.
6. After Buhari was overthrown in a palace on August 27, 1985, it was Abacha that announced the chief of army staff, Major-Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, as the new military president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces in an evening broadcast (the coup speech was read by Brigadier Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro).
7. On appointment as chief of army staff in 1985, he caused a stir when he said the issue of “second in command” to Babangida had not been resolved, even though Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, as chief of general staff, was understood to be holding the position. It was later resolved in favour of Ukiwe.
8. Abacha was commissioned 2nd lieutenant in 1963 after he had attended the Mons Defence Officers Cadet Training College in Aldershot, England.
9. He was believed to have participated fully in the July 1966 countercoup, which led to the death of the head of state, Major-Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, and subsequently resulted in the civil war.
10. Officially, he did not overthrow the interim national government in 1993. The head of government, Chief Ernest Shonekan, resigned and Abacha, being the secretary of defence and the most senior member of government, took over. Unofficially, it was a bloodless coup.
11. He was known as a man of “few words and deadly actions” and he demonstrated this as head of state with one of the most brutal regimes Nigeria has ever had. There was massive crackdown on the media, civil rights groups and pro-democracy campaigns.
12. Two of the most important recommendations of the 1995 constitutional conference he set up are: 13% derivation for oil-producing areas and six geo-political zones.
13. He never held a non-military appointment in his career until he became minister of defence in 1990 (later re-designated secretary of defence in 1993). He was a Lt. Gen then.
14. His supporters describe him as a good economic manager and that he stabilised exchange rate at N22/$1 but the unofficial rate was N80/$1. This created colossal rent-seeking, with many “chosen” associates buying at the official rate and reselling at four times the rate in the black market.
15. It was under Abacha that Nigeria became a perpetual importer of petroleum products, as all the refineries packed up. However, 17 years after his death, Nigeria is still heavily dependent on fuel imports.
16. An unforgettable phenomenon under Abacha was the importation of “foul fuel” which had an offensive odour and damaged car engines.
17. He was instrumental to the restoration of peace and democracy in Sierra Leone and Liberia after years of civil wars.
18. He increased fuel price just once in his four-and-a-half years
in office and set up the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, which was widely acknowledged to have performed well in infrastructural development and intervention programmes in education, health and water.
19. His wife set up what is now known as the National Hospital, Abuja. It was originally named National Hospital for Women and Children before it was upgraded into what is intended to be Nigeria’s no. 1 public hospital.
20. His death is shrouded in mystery: the most popular version is that he died in the midst of Indian prostitutes flown in from Dubai but the official version is that he died of heart attack. A more likely story is that he was “eliminated” to end the political crisis in Nigeria.
At 31, Lagos-born Espago is redefining what it means to be a late bloomer in the Nigerian music
space. After spending years as a chef, designer, and farmer, Espago turned to music just a year
ago on a journey sparked by deep loss, life experience, and self-discovery.
What makes him different? It’s not just his sound, it’s his story. Espago brings a calm but
confident energy that mirrors his Lagos upbringing: a blend of vibrant Fuji rhythms and soulful
Afrobeat traditions like King Sunny Ade, shaped by global legends like Michael Jackson and
Celine Dion. His voice? Professionally trained. His brand? Stylish, grounded, and intentional.
Espago didn’t wait for the industry to find him; he found his own way in, teaching himself,
searching out producers, and building his identity from scratch. With no major label backing and
no big-name features, he has still built a brand marked by boldness, emotion, and Lagos street
authenticity.
He’s not just making music; he’s building a lifestyle brand. His creative roots are in food,
fashion, and music fused into something richer than just a “sound.” It’s a full experience. While
he hasn’t performed live yet, he’s putting in the work behind the scenes, mentoring new artists,
recording regularly to sharpen his voice and brand for bigger stages ahead.
In a scene dominated by speed, Espago’s journey is about intentional growth, honest
expression, and emotional connection.
As the new class of Afro‑HipHop begins to take shape, Espago stands out not just for what he’s
making, but for who he is becoming.
Rising artist Derriq isn’t just making music for entertainment; he’s building a legacy rooted in culture, resilience, and pride. The Lagos-based Afro-soul and Afrobeats singer has his eyes set on something bigger than streaming numbers: putting his hometown of Benin City on the global creative map is his dream.
A native of Edo State, Derriq’s musical journey began as a child organizing school parties just for the chance to perform. Since then, he’s gone from studio assistant to full-fledged artist, releasing impactful tracks like “Position,” “Vibration,” and “Confidence.” His sound, described as smooth, calm, and party-ready, reflects the duality of his personality: laid-back yet determined, quiet but powerful.
Derriq is more than just a promising name on Nigeria’s growing music roster; he’s a symbol of the next generation of artists who blend regional identity with global appeal using his distinctive voice, a strong sense of direction, and his signature slang “Yehboo! Yezaiii!” making waves among fans, Derriq is proving that cultural authenticity still cuts through the noise.
His next single, “Omo n’ Ogie,” is a tribute to his heritage and a signal that he’s just getting started. Keep your eyes on Derriq, he’s not just singing for the moment, he’s singing for a movement.
Follow @DerriqMusic on all social platforms
For interviews and press: derriqmusic@gmail.com
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. President Bola Tinubu will address the nation in a broadcast today, Sunday, August 4, 2024. Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement, on Saturday, saying the broadcast would hold at 7am.
2. The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Yusuf Lawal, on Saturday confirmed the killing of four persons along Baga Road in Maiduguri, Borno State during the nationwide #EndBadGoverment protest. He said Boko Haram elements infiltrated the protesters and killed four persons on Thursday with explosives at a filling station.
3. Many persons have been feared killed while others sustained injuries as hoodlums clashed with security operatives in Kano. It was gathered that Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa areas in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano municipal and Unguwa Uku area of Tarauni Local Government are the worst hit areas.
4. The leadership of the organised labour, on Saturday, warned the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces to stop what it described as a “massacre” of protesters carrying out nationwide demonstrations against hunger in the land.
5. Leading Human Rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria, has said over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja on the third day of the demonstration against hardship in the land.
6. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the police and other security agencies to stop shooting and killing protesters demanding good governance in Nigeria. Atiku in a statement on Saturday, questioned the professionalism of the security agencies in the handling of the ongoing demonstrations.
7. Some of the organisers and supporters of the ongoing protest have set up pages to raise over N4bn through GoFundMe, a popular online crowdfunding platform. A check on Saturday showed that a total of N4.1bn had been benchmarked to be donated through accounts created by three GoFundMe users.
8. Tragedy struck again in Imo State on Saturday evening when some gunmen reportedly shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Hyginus Ohazurike. Six village heads from the autonomous community were also allegedly killed by the gunmen.
9. The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh has said his men were not responsible for the death of a teenager in the Kubwa area of the FCT. In a viral video, a man claimed that police, while dispersing protesters, shot dead a teenager in the Kubwa area.
10. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu has said President Bola Tinubu is keeping an eye on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance demonstrations across the country.
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