Why there is nothing like Abacha loot – General Bamaiyi Reveals

 The former chief of army staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi, has described what Nigerians refer to as “Abacha loot” is a media creation.

The retired general said former head of state, General Sanni Abacha, did not loot the country as he was being accused when he was the head of state, Leadership reports.
Bamaiyi made the statement when speaking at the public presentation of the book, titled, vindication of a general.

He said Gen Abacha ruled the country during his regime to the best of his ability.

“If you remember, we had problemin Sierra‎-Leone and Liberia under Abacha government and it was money realised under Abacha regime that we used to buy weapons and ammunition to help them fight.

“I am happy the former minister of finance said the money was not looted but things happen and when things happen like thatand you are not here to defemd yourself rumours will just be flying.

“I am not holding brief for Abacha but I would noot be in a position to know if money was looted. What I know is that things do happen and I know that Abacha did very well for the country.

“If we see him from the bad aspect, we should also look at his good aspect and remeber him for the good things he did for the country. That is why I said Abacha loot is a media creation,” he said.

A former head state Yakubu Gowon, who chaired of the occasion in his remark commended Gen Bamaiyi for the spirit with which he rendered account of his experience in the book.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reports that the court processes which have not been verified, have shown details of how the $1.1 billion paid by Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep (SNUD) Ltd, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Ltd and Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE) Ltd to the federal government in 2011 for the purchase of Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 originally held by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited was shared by some prominent Nigerians.

This is just as a Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 3 for the arraignment of the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Dan Etete, and others charged with various alleged offences for their roles in the transaction.

According to court papers, a son of the late military Head of State, Sani Abacha, Mohammed, and a known associate of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Oyewole Fasawe, gave details of how OPL 245 was allegedly taken from them and sold to the SNUD, SNEPCO and NAE consortium in 2011.

They also provided insight into how the $1.1 billion paid by the consortium for OPL 245, which was facilitated by the Nigerian government, was shared by some prominent individuals, without the knowledge and involvement of a majority of the actual owners of Malabu Oil.