Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, over his claim that the late General Sani Abacha did not loot Nigeria’s treasury, describing the assertion as an attempt to rewrite history and sanitise the former military ruler’s regime.
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In a statement titled, “Re: Abdulsalami Abubakar: Abacha Never Looted Treasury,” Falana argued that Abubakar’s account contradicted the findings and actions of the administration he headed after succeeding Abacha in 1998.
Abubakar had, in an interview published on June 20, 2026, claimed that the funds commonly described as the “Abacha loot” were not stolen but deliberately kept abroad for Nigeria on the advice of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, former Benin Republic President Mathieu Kérékou and others, amid fears that international sanctions could be imposed on the country.
Rejecting the explanation, Falana said Abubakar had “belatedly joined the dubious campaign to sanitise the ignominious Abacha era.”
“General Abubakar attempted to rewrite history in a rather untidy manner when he claimed that the much-talked-about Abacha loot is a hoax, saying that the former military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, never stole money belonging to the country,” he said.
Falana maintained that neither Gaddafi nor Kérékou could reasonably have advised Abacha to divert public funds into private accounts controlled by members of his family and business associates.
He argued that Abubakar himself did not accept such an explanation when he assumed office, pointing out that his administration established a Special Investigation Panel on July 23, 1998, to investigate alleged corruption and financial crimes committed under the Abacha regime.
The panel, headed by then Deputy Commissioner of Police Peter Gana, reportedly uncovered the large-scale diversion of public funds with the involvement of officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
According to Falana, the investigation found that Abacha approved fictitious security funding requests submitted by the Office of the National Security Adviser, after which the Central Bank released substantial amounts in foreign currencies that were allegedly transferred to members of Abacha’s family and business associates.
The investigation also reportedly traced several properties acquired in Nigeria to the diverted funds.
Falana said Abubakar accepted the panel’s findings and subsequently promulgated the Forfeiture of Assets, Etc. (Certain Persons) Decree No. 53 of 1999, which authorised the forfeiture of assets allegedly acquired illegally by Abacha, members of his family and associates.
He said the decree led to the forfeiture of $636.3 million, £75.3 million, 30 million Deutsche Marks and ₦547 million.
Other assets forfeited reportedly included shares in two Sierra Leonean refineries valued at about $380,000, alongside numerous properties and luxury vehicles.
Falana stressed that the decree expressly described the assets as having been “acquired corruptly and illegally” and ordered their forfeiture to the Federal Government.
He argued that Abubakar could not now claim that the same funds were legitimately preserved for Nigeria after his administration had legally declared them corruptly and illegally acquired.
Responding to Abubakar’s assertion that some of the money was used to purchase Tata vehicles for security agencies, Falana cited the conviction of Raj Bhojwani, a business associate of Abacha, by the High Court of Jersey for money laundering.
“Contrary to General Abubakar’s false narrative, Mr Raj Bhojwani, a business associate of the former dictator, General Sani Abacha, was convicted and jailed in the High Court of Jersey for money laundering. He was ordered to forfeit $45 million to the Nigerian Government,” Falana said.
The Senior Advocate also recalled that successive Nigerian governments recovered billions of dollars in assets linked to Abacha from several foreign jurisdictions.
He said former President Olusegun Obasanjo engaged Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini to trace the assets, leading to the recovery of more than $1.2 billion.
Falana added that the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari also recovered substantial amounts connected to the Abacha family and its associates.
He noted that, to prevent recovered assets from being diverted again by corrupt officials, the Buhari administration reached an agreement with the Swiss Government to invest some of the returned funds in development projects monitored by credible non-governmental organisations.
“To avoid the Abacha loot from being re-looted by local corrupt officials, the Buhari administration agreed with the Swiss Government to invest the recovered loot in development projects monitored by credible NGOs,” he stated.
Falana further argued that no individual or institution involved in proceedings concerning the recovered assets in Nigeria, Switzerland, France, the United States, the United Kingdom or Jersey ever claimed that the funds had been lawfully kept abroad on behalf of the Nigerian Government.
“It is pertinent to note that in all the court cases that were instituted in Nigeria, Switzerland, France, United States, United Kingdom, Jersey, etc., no person or institution ever pleaded that the Abacha loot was kept for the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.
“Indeed, family members of the late dictator and his business allies attempted but failed to claim that the funds belonged to them.”
Falana disclosed that one of the related cases remained pending in the United States, where he said a serving Nigerian minister was laying claim to $130 million recovered from assets linked to Abacha.
He maintained that the recovery process remained unfinished, citing France’s announcement in November 2023 that it would return $150 million in assets allegedly stolen by Abacha and members of his family.
Falana recalled that France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, said the funds had been frozen in France since 2021 and would be returned following a request by Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice and an agreement with the United States Government.
He said France stated that the money would be earmarked for development projects benefiting Nigerians and implemented according to the priorities of the Federal Government.
“It is crystal clear that General Abubakar, out of sheer class solidarity, has turned round to claim, rather falsely, that the Abacha loot was money saved for the Government of Nigeria,” Falana said.
He therefore urged Abubakar to withdraw the statement and apologise to Nigerians, arguing that the former military leader’s own decree had confirmed the illegal acquisition and forfeiture of the assets.
“Having promulgated and signed the Forfeiture Decree No. 53 of 1999, which legalised the forfeiture of the Abacha loot, General Abubakar should apologise to Nigerians and withdraw the statement that the Abacha loot is a hoax,” he said.
Falana also called on Abubakar to step down as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, contending that his comments had undermined the credibility required to mediate political tensions and supervise peace accords during Nigerian elections.
“In addition, the retired military ruler should step down as the Chairman of the National Peace Committee set up to mediate political tensions and organise peace accords for Nigerian elections,” he stated.
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