Twenty-seven years after the death of Nigeria’s former military ruler, General Sani Abacha, his daughter, Gumsu Sani Abacha, has claimed that the country is in a far worse condition today than it was under her father’s leadership.
In a Facebook post on Sunday to commemorate the anniversary of Abacha’s death on June 8, 1998, Gumsu expressed disappointment over the state of the nation, particularly its economic struggles and rising insecurity.
She argued that contrary to the belief held by many at the time of his passing, the death of his father did not usher in a better Nigeria.
“𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟, 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗔 𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧 𝗜𝗧,” she wrote.
“General Sani Abacha died on this day — June 8, 1998.
“The day you left, the West — America, Britain, and their Nigerian agents — rejoiced.They popped champagne and sold Nigerians a bold lie: ‘Abacha is the problem. Remove him, and paradise will follow’.
“But 27 years later, the truth is staring us in the face:Abacha wasn’t the problem — Abacha was the shield.
“Under your watch:A mudu of rice was affordable.A dorica of rice or beans was N45.A loaf of bread was N20 — and it could fill you.Even N5 had meaning and dignity.Today? N5 is a joke, an insult, a symbol of failure.
“The naira didn’t collapse — leadership did.You cut taxes and protected the poor.They taxed everything that breathes and gave the people nothing.You said NO to the IMF.They said YES, and sold Nigeria for cents on the dollar and collected commissions.
“Today, insecurity is our daily bread.
“Over 7 million Nigerians sleep in IDP camps.Over 5,000 villages have fallen to terrorists.Kidnap.”
Abacha ruled Nigeria between 1993 and 1998. While his regime witnessed a stable growth in the economy and a robust security, the military government was marked by widespread allegations of corruption and human rights abuses
