“Where’s the proof?” — Maryam Abacha defends late husband, denies looting allegations

Maryam Abacha, wife of former military ruler General Sani Abacha, has broken her silence on the long-standing allegations that her late husband looted billions of dollars from Nigeria’s coffers.

In a recent interview with TVC, Mrs. Abacha challenged critics to provide solid proof that her husband stashed public funds abroad.

“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 asked pointedly.

The former First Lady didn’t stop there. She claimed that the funds her husband reportedly secured for Nigeria mysteriously disappeared after his death in 1998.

“The monies that my husband kept for Nigeria, in a few months, the monies vanished. People are not talking about that,” she said, hinting at alleged mismanagement by successive governments.

Clearly frustrated by the continued focus on her husband’s legacy, Maryam Abacha questioned the motives behind it all.

“Why are you blaming somebody? Is that tribalism or a religious problem? Why are Nigerians so bad towards each other?”

She also took aim at the media, urging journalists to educate rather than “bastardise” public figures.

“People are not that bad. Twenty-seven years ago, and you are still talking about Abacha. He must be very powerful and loved by Nigerians. We thank God for that,” she said.

On the claim that Nigeria’s economy was relatively stable under Abacha, she doubled down on her husband’s innocence.

“Where did he steal the money from? Nigerians are fools; they listen to everything,” she said bluntly.

Wrapping up, Mrs. Abacha called for unity and mutual respect among Nigerians — across tribes, religions, and backgrounds.