How Abacha Ordered Super Eagles to Pull Out of AFCON 1996 Before Giving Each Player $20K

General Sani Abacha ordered the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles, to withdraw from the 1996 African Cup of Nations due to safety concerns, providing each player with $20,000. The decision came just before the tournament was set to begin on January 13, 1996, leaving organizers scrambling.

Abacha, who seized power in a coup in 1993, faced criticism for human rights abuses, including the execution of nine minority rights activists known as the Ogoni Nine. The withdrawal was a major blow to the tournament's prestige and competitive balance, according to CAF President Issa Hayatou.

Former Super Eagles star Tijani Babangida revealed that Abacha informed the team that the government could not guarantee their safety in South Africa. The players were compensated for missing the tournament, and Nigeria was subsequently banned from the 1998 edition.