General Abdulsalami Abubakar recounts 'fishy' circumstances surrounding General Sani Abacha's death
via Punch Nigeria8 min read
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has shared details from his autobiography, 'Call of Duty,' regarding the events surrounding the death of General Sani Abacha on June 8, 1998. Abubakar described feeling that "something was fishy" when he and the late Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ishaya Bamaiyi, were locked in a waiting room at the Presidential Villa for nearly an hour before being informed of Abacha's death. He recounted receiving a call on the morning of June 8, 1998, about his impending retirement, and later being summoned to see the Head of State. Upon arrival at the Villa, he was told Abacha was not in his office, and then instructed to wait in a room where he was later joined by Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi. Abubakar noted that the door to the waiting room was locked without their knowledge. The Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, eventually informed him of Abacha's death. Abubakar described the chaotic scene at Abacha's residence, where discussions quickly turned to succession politics among Abacha's "inner caucus." He stated that this group seemed more interested in choosing the next Head of State than in Abacha's burial. Abubakar, as Chief of Defence Staff and the most senior officer, chaired the Provisional Ruling Council meeting. He revealed that a trip to Kano for the burial was a "decoy" by the "inner caucus" to finalize their succession plans in his absence. Abubakar ultimately won a vote against Lieutenant-General
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Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh stated that Morocco could have beaten Brazil 3-1 if they had players similar to Nigeria's Victor Osimhen or Ademola Lookman in their squad. Oliseh shared this comment on his X handle after Morocco's 1-1 draw with Brazil in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage match. He described Morocco's performance as impressive, highlighting their tactical balance in both attack and defense. Oliseh noted that Brazil's result flattered them, attributing the respectable scoreline to their star players like Vinicius Jr and Raphinha. Morocco secured a point against the five-time world champions in the match where Vinicius won the Superior Player of the Match award.
The air component of Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai neutralized 27 terrorists in separate air interdiction missions in Borno. An operational report from the Nigerian Air Force indicated that strikes were conducted following Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. On June 10, an air interdiction mission at Dawoshe, a known terrorist enclave in the Southern Tumbus area, resulted in the destruction of vehicles and the neutralization of 12 terrorists. On the same day, a precision strike on terrorist positions at Metele in the Northern Tumbus area of Guzamala Local Government Area, Borno, confirmed 15 terrorists were neutralized. These operations are part of ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist capabilities, disrupt logistics networks, and deny insurgents freedom of action across the North-East theatre. The Armed Forces of Nigeria are committed to sustaining offensive operations against terrorist strongholds.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA has arrested Abugu Oliver Ikechukwu, a 41-year-old Brazil-based businessman, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. He was apprehended upon his arrival from S茫o Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 11. A search of his luggage revealed 14 towels and shirts impregnated with 6.10 kilograms of liquid cocaine. According to Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, the items were dried and ironed to conceal the substance. Abugu reportedly told investigators he has lived in Brazil for over 14 years, where he operates an African restaurant, and was in Nigeria to visit his wife and purchase foodstuff for his business. In related developments, the NDLEA also arrested a 60-year-old woman, Chidimma Sunday, with 1.8kg of skunk in Abia State, and a 28-year-old man, Abubakar Usman, with various illicit drugs in Rivers State. The agency also reported significant seizures across several states, including 304 kilograms of skunk in Kwara, 1,121.5 kilograms of cannabis in Taraba, and 1,102 kilograms of Ghana Loud in Lagos. Mohamed Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, commended the officers for their efforts in reducing drug supply.