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How Abacha’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ Tried to Oust Me, Pushed for Babangida’s Arrest — Abdulsalami
How Abacha’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ Tried to Oust Me, Pushed for Babangida’s Arrest — Abdulsalami
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has disclosed how a powerful clique of military officers operating around late military ruler General Sani Abacha repeatedly sought to remove him and other senior officers from the military hierarchy, prompting him to advise Abacha to dismantle the group.
The revelations are contained in Abdulsalami’s autobiography, “Call of Duty,” unveiled on Saturday in Abuja during events marking his 84th birthday. The book launch also featured two other publications — Nigeria’s Grand Patriot and Mediating for Peace in Africa.
The event attracted several prominent Nigerian leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and other dignitaries.
In the memoir, Abdulsalami paints a picture of an influential “kitchen cabinet” within the Abacha administration, describing it as a group of officers that wielded enormous influence over government decisions and frequently sought the retirement of officers they perceived as obstacles.
According to him, the group repeatedly pressured Abacha to retire four senior military officers — himself, Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, Lt.-Gen. Garba Duba and Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Balarabe Haladu.
“To be fair, General Abacha was loyal to his friends. A caucus that sprang up when he became Head of State didn’t want to see some faces around, and they often insisted that some officers be retired,” Abdulsalami wrote.
He explained that despite repeated attempts by the group to push them out, Abacha refused because of his loyalty to long-standing associates.
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“All the time, four of us who were slated for retirement survived because Abacha was devoted to friendship. Ironically, all those hawks were retired before us. They became a pain in Abacha’s neck and he had to get rid of them,” he stated.
Abdulsalami revealed that he became increasingly uncomfortable with the influence of the clique and eventually advised Abacha to dissolve it. According to him, the officers had become a negative force within the administration and were increasingly involved in decisions that undermined the normal chain of command.
“In one of our conversations, I told him that he needed to disband the group of officers that formed the clique around him,” he recalled.
Abdulsalami said Abacha initially suggested that he personally caution the officers, but he declined and insisted that only the Head of State could effectively address the situation. He noted that Abacha eventually retired many members of the group one after another, although a few escaped retirement because they were less outspoken.
One of the most striking revelations in the book concerns former military president General Ibrahim Babangida. Abdulsalami disclosed that members of Abacha’s inner circle once urged the late military ruler to arrest Babangida.
According to him, when Abacha demanded to know the offence Babangida had committed, members of the group reportedly argued that charges could be formulated after his arrest.
“This same group of people urged him to arrest General Babangida. He asked them what his offence was and they said charges could always be found after his arrest,” Abdulsalami wrote.
He said Abacha rejected the suggestion and refused to act against Babangida.
The former Head of State also revealed that some senior officials within the military government appealed to Abacha to release Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
According to Abdulsalami, they advised Abacha to engage Abiola in direct dialogue and seek a political solution to the crisis triggered by the annulled election.
“We asked him to release Bashorun MKO Abiola from detention and discuss with him one-on-one the way forward after he was arrested for proclaiming himself President based on the June 12 election. However, Abacha did not give our advice any positive consideration,” he said.
He added that the continued detention of Abiola contributed to international pressure and sanctions imposed on Nigeria during the period.
Abdulsalami also disclosed that despite serving as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), he was often excluded from sensitive investigations and major decisions. Reflecting on the controversial 1995 coup allegations involving former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, he admitted that he had limited knowledge of what transpired.
“I was often in the dark, apparently by design,” he wrote.
He said he repeatedly appealed to Abacha to show leniency towards Yar’Adua, who had served as their commander during the Nigerian Civil War. While Obasanjo’s original 25-year prison sentence was later reduced to 15 years, Yar’Adua’s death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Abdulsalami further claimed that some members of Abacha’s inner circle attempted to implicate him in the alleged 1997 coup plot involving Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya and other senior officers. According to him, interrogators repeatedly sought evidence linking him to the conspiracy but failed.
“They were looking for anything to hang on my neck. Thankfully, they did not succeed,” he said.
He maintained that he never participated in any coup plot throughout his military career and remained loyal to Abacha.
Addressing the controversy surrounding billions of dollars allegedly looted during the Abacha era, Abdulsalami said reports linking the late ruler to massive financial misconduct initially came as a surprise to him. He described Abacha as a leader who was meticulous about government spending and personally scrutinized military expenditures.
“When I was Chief of Defence Staff, Abacha would sometimes call me to his office for us to sit down and do proper costing before releasing money for the military. He hated waste,” he recalled.
However, Abdulsalami acknowledged that towards the end of the military administration, documents surfaced showing transfers of funds to accounts linked to members of Abacha’s family and associates.
He said he later heard explanations that the funds were moved abroad to shield Nigeria from possible sanctions and asset freezes, allegedly based on advice from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Nevertheless, Abdulsalami said he could neither confirm nor deny those claims.
The memoir offers one of the most detailed insider accounts yet of the internal power struggles, political intrigues, alleged coup plots and decision-making processes that shaped the Abacha administration. The book also sheds fresh light on the relationships among Nigeria’s top military figures during one of the most controversial periods in the country’s political history, providing new perspectives on events that continue to generate debate decades after they occurred.
How Abacha’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ Tried to Oust Me, Pushed for Babangida’s Arrest — Abdulsalami
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Troops Arrest Dismissed Police Inspector Over Alleged Arms Trafficking in Plateau
Troops Arrest Dismissed Police Inspector Over Alleged Arms Trafficking in Plateau
Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have arrested a dismissed police officer, Inspector Danjuma Yusuf, over alleged involvement in a high-profile arms trafficking network operating across state lines in Plateau State.
The arrest was carried out on Sunday at the Makera axis of Riyom Local Government Area during an intelligence-led operation conducted by troops of Sector 6 in collaboration with the Headquarters of Operation Enduring Peace.
According to a military statement obtained by Politics Nigeria, the breakthrough followed credible intelligence on the movement of illicit arms within Plateau State and neighbouring regions.
“Acting swiftly, troops of Sector 6, in collaboration with Headquarters Operation Enduring Peace, executed a coordinated intelligence-led operation on Sunday, 14 June 2026,” the statement said.
The suspect was reportedly intercepted while travelling in a white Peugeot vehicle from Jos South towards the Makera axis. He was placed under surveillance before being stopped at a military checkpoint.
A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of two locally fabricated pistols, 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three cans of pepper spray, and a jack knife.
Other items recovered from the suspect included two mobile phones, two cutlasses, a police staff tag, photographs showing him in police uniform, two ATM cards, a National Identification Number (NIN) card, and ₦73,300 in cash.
Preliminary findings identified the suspect as a former officer of the Nigeria Police Force Base 7, Abuja, who had been officially dismissed from service.
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“Further intelligence indicates that the suspect is a key figure in an interstate arms trafficking syndicate, allegedly supplying weapons to criminal elements involved in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes,” the statement added.
Military authorities said the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing interrogation aimed at uncovering members of his network, including possible collaborators, financiers, and supply routes.
The operation, according to the Army, represents a significant disruption of illegal arms trafficking activities and demonstrates the effectiveness of ongoing intelligence-driven security operations in the region.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining coordinated efforts with other security agencies to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons and combat violent crimes across the country.
It also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to support ongoing counter-crime operations and enhance security nationwide.
Further updates are expected as investigations continue.
Troops Arrest Dismissed Police Inspector Over Alleged Arms Trafficking in Plateau
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Police Foil Kidnap Attempt, Rescue Nine Victims on Katsina–Kankara Road
Police Foil Kidnap Attempt, Rescue Nine Victims on Katsina–Kankara Road
The Katsina State Police Command says its operatives have foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued nine passengers during a coordinated operation along the Katsina–Kankara Road in Katsina State.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, said the incident occurred on June 12, 2026, at about 2:30 p.m., when suspected armed bandits blocked the highway at Tashar Kanya village in Kankara Local Government Area.
According to him, the attackers intercepted a red commercial Volkswagen Golf III Saloon with registration number KMC 400 MK, driven by a 40-year-old man identified as Aliyu, popularly known as “Maitakabari.”
The vehicle was reportedly conveying 11 passengers from Dandume to Katsina when the armed men stopped it and abducted all occupants.
Following a distress call, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kankara mobilised a tactical team, including operatives of the Violent Crime Rescue Unit (VCRU), to the scene.
“The operatives tactically engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel. Due to the team’s superior firepower and tactical manoeuvres, the hoodlums were forced to flee the scene,” the statement said.
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During a sweep of the area after the encounter, police operatives rescued nine victims unhurt.
The rescued persons were identified as Abubakar Ibrahim (28), Rakkiya Ya’u (30), Shamsiya Ahmad Mahamud (18), Jumai Majarazu (20), Salamatu Adamu (30), Yusuf Halliru (17), Harira Hamisu (25), Umma Kabir (17), and Nusaiba Maharazu (3).
However, two persons — the driver, Aliyu “Maitakabari,” and a passenger, Buhari Kabir — were still unaccounted for at the time of the report. Authorities said a search-and-rescue operation was ongoing to locate them and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The police spokesperson added that the Commissioner of Police in Katsina State, CP Aliyu Umar Fage, commended the operatives for their swift response and bravery during the operation.
He also reassured residents that the command remains committed to intensifying security operations aimed at clearing criminal elements from highways and rural communities across the state.
Katsina State has continued to experience recurring cases of banditry and highway kidnappings, prompting increased patrols and tactical deployments along major travel routes.
Authorities say further updates will be provided as search operations continue.
Police Foil Kidnap Attempt, Rescue Nine Victims on Katsina–Kankara Road
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Edo Gov Okpebholo Orders Probe Into Benin Vegetable Market Kidnapping
Edo Gov Okpebholo Orders Probe Into Benin Vegetable Market Kidnapping
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has condemned the kidnapping incident that occurred on Sunday at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City, describing it as unacceptable and a direct attack on innocent residents.
In a statement issued on Monday by his media aide, Patrick Ebojele, the governor directed the Edo State Police Command to immediately launch a swift and coordinated investigation into the incident, with orders to secure the rescue of the victim and apprehend those responsible.
The governor also warned that his administration would not tolerate any act capable of threatening public safety or disrupting peace in the state.
“I strongly condemn this act of kidnapping and I call on the Commissioner of Police to immediately open investigation into the matter,” Okpebholo said.
“As a government, we will not tolerate any act that threatens public safety and security or disturbs the peace of the state.”
He urged residents of Benin City and across Edo State to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements or individuals to security agencies, stressing that timely information remains critical to ongoing operations.
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- How Abacha’s ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ Tried to Oust Me, Pushed for Babangida’s Arrest — Abdulsalami
Okpebholo further assured that the state government would not relent until those behind the attack are tracked down, arrested, and prosecuted.
According to reports, the incident occurred when a woman was abducted while shopping at one of the stores within the busy Vegetable Market. A viral video circulating on social media showed the moment the victim was forcibly taken away, sparking panic among traders and residents.
Security sources say preliminary investigations have begun, with operatives working to track the kidnappers and review intelligence from the scene to aid rescue efforts.
Kidnapping incidents have continued to raise concern in parts of Edo State, prompting renewed calls for stronger security presence around markets, highways, and public spaces in Benin City.
Authorities say further updates will be provided as investigations progress.
Edo Gov Okpebholo Orders Probe Into Benin Vegetable Market Kidnapping
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