Abdulsalami Abubakar Reveals Pressure from Abacha in 1993

Former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) disclosed that he was pressured by Sani Abacha to accept the appointment as Chief of Army Staff following the November 1993 coup. Abubakar initially rejected the offer twice, as he did not want to be a tool for Abacha's ambitions against the civilian government.

He recounted that on November 17, 1993, he was approached again by Abacha, who had summoned him to a meeting with senior military officers. Despite his reluctance and the embarrassment of not attending the initial meeting, Abubakar was eventually compelled to accept the role after a firm commitment from Abacha.

This revelation was made during the presentation of Abubakar's autobiography at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, attended by President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, marking the 84th birthday of the former head of state.