Military Administrators In Nigeria During Abacha Regime (1993-1998)

The military regime of General Sani Abacha was the most controversial in Nigeria’s political history. One of the reasons was that he threw the winner of the June 12 1993 presidential election Chief Moshood Abiola into prison.

Though his regime didn’t conduct the election, he arrested Abiola and threw him into prison for attempting to claim the mandate given to him by millions of Nigerians who cast their votes for him.

Ibrahim Babangida who conducted the election failed to handover, instead, he introduced an Interim National Government headed by Earnest Shonekan on August 26, 1993.

By November 17, 1993, the Chief of Defence Staff at the time Abacha chased the head of the ING out of Aso Rock in a bloodless coup.

It was later alleged that it was a plan and an agreement between Sani Abacha and Babangida.

Abacha’s first action was to terminate all the civilian state governors between 1992 to 1993, thereby ending the third republic. It’s today referred to as the aborted republic.

He replaced the elected civilian governors with military administrators. And by October 1, 1996, the regime created six additional states, bringing the number of states to 36.

Below is a list of military administrators during Abacha’s regime between 1993 to 1998

State	Military Administrators	Years in Office
Abia	Chinyere Ike Nwosu Temi Ejoor Moses Fasanya	December 9, 1993 to September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 to August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 to August 1998
Adamawa	Gregory Agboneni Mustapha Ismail Joe Kalu-Igboama	December 9, 1993 to September 14, 1994 August 22, 1996 to August 1998
Akwa Ibom	Yakubu Bako Joseph Adeduro Adeusi	December 15, 1993 to August 21, 1996 August 21, 1996 to August 9, 1998
Anambra	Dabo Aliyu Mike Attah Rufai Garba	November 1993 to December 1993 December 9, 1993 to 21 August 21, 1996 August 21, 1996 – August 6, 1998
Bauchi	James Yana Kalau Rasheed Adisa Raji Theophilus Bamigboye	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Benue	Joshua Obademi Aminu Isa Kontagora	December 9, 1993 – August 14, 1996 August 14, 1996 – August 1998
Borno	Ibrahim Dada Victor Ozodinobi Augustine Aniebo	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – 1997 1997 – August 1998
Cross River	Ibrahim Kefas Gregory Agboneni Umar Farouk Ahmed	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 1996 – August 1998
Delta	Abdulkadir Shehu Bassey Asuquo Ibrahim Kefas John David Dungs	November 17, 1993 – December 10, 1993 December 10, 1993 – September 26, 1994 September 26, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 12, 1998
Edo	Mohammed Abul-Salam Onuka Bassey Asuquo Baba Adamu Iyam	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 7, 1998
Enugu	Temi Ejoor Mike Torey Sule Ahman	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Imo	James N.J. Aneke Tanko Zubairu	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – May 29, 1999
Jigawa	Ibrahim Aliyu Rasheed Shekoni	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Kaduna	Lawal Jafaru Isa Hameed Ali	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Kano	Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Dominic Oneya	December 1993 – June 1996 August 22 1996 – September 1998
Katsina	Emmanuel Acholonu Samaila Bature Chamah	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Kebbi	Salihu Tunde Bello John Ubah	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Kogi	Paul Omeruo Bzigu Afakirya	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Kwara	Mustapha Ismail Baba Adamu Iyam Peter Ogar	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Lagos	Olagunsoye Oyinlola Mohammed Buba Marwa	December 1993 – August 1996 1996–1999
Niger	Cletus Komena Emein Simeon Oduoye	9 Dec 1993 – 22 Aug 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Ogun	Daniel Akintonde Sam Ewang	December 9 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 1996 – August 1998
Ondo	Mike Torey Ahmed Usman Anthony Onyearugbulem	December 1993 – September 1994 September 1994 – August 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 7, 1998
Osun	Anthony Udofia Anthony Obi	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Oyo	Adetoye Oyetola Sode Chinyere Ike Nwosu Ahmed Usman	December 9, 1993 – September 14, 1994 September 14, 1994 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Plateau	Mohammed Mana Habibu Idris Shuaibu	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Rivers	Dauda Musa Komo Musa Shehu	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Sokoto	Yakubu Mu’azu Rasheed Adisa Raji	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996
Taraba	Yohanna Dickson Amen Edore Oyakhire	December 9, 1993 – August 22, 1996 August 22, 1996 – August 1998
Yobe	Dabo Aliyu John Ben Kalio	December 14, 1993 – August 14, 1996 August 14, 1996 – August 14, 1998

October 1, 1996 State Creation By Sani Abacaha

On October 1, 1996, the military regime of Sani Abacha announced the creation of six more states from the existing ones, bringing the number to 36. The creation of the states coincides with Nigeria’s 36th Independence Day Celebration.

On the occasion, Gen. Abacha announced the six states and their military administrators. The new states and their administrators are listed below:

New States	Military Administrators	Years in Office
Bayelsa	Phillip Ayeni Habu Daura Omoniyi Caleb Olubolade	October 1, 1996 – February 28, 1997 February 28, 1997 – June 27, 1997 June 27, 1997 – July 9, 1998
Ebonyi	Walter Feghabo	October 7, 1996 – August 1998
Ekiti	Mohammed Bawa	October 7, 1996 – August 1998
Gombe	Joseph Orji	October 7, 1996 – August 1998
Nasarawa	Abdullahi Ibrahim	October 7, 1996 – August 6, 1998
Zamfara	Jibril Yakubu	October 7, 1996 – May 1999

Note: The military administrators during Sani Abacha’s regime were also tough as the Head of State. It was a time when motorists had to park by the roadside upon hearing the siren of ‘Abacha boys’ coming behind or approaching.

Abacha died on June 8, 1998. Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar succeeded him on June 9, 1998, and he appointed or redeployed the state administrators (1998-1999).

To date, the cause of death Abacha remains shrouded and kept in secrecy by military authorities. They say he died of unnatural death.

Abacha’s regime like every military regime in Nigeria represents an outright violation of abuse of human rights. During his regime, there were arrests and killings of opponents. There were bomb blasts.

In 1996, there were at least eight bomb blasts at strategic locations across Nigeria.

Under his nose, the senior wife to the MKO Abiola, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, was murdered on June 4, 1996, by Abacha boys who authorities referred to as unknown assassins in Lagos.

What are important things do you need to know about the regime of Abacha?

How many states did Sani Abacha create?

The regime of Abacha created six states, they are: Ekiti, Nasarawa, Gombe, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, and Zamfara

Who was the first military administrator of Osun State?

Col. Leo Segun Ajiborisha was the first military administrator of Osun State on August 27, 1991, after the state was carved out of the old Oyo State.

Who was the first military administrator of Ekiti State?

Colonel Mohammed Inua Bawa was the first military administrator of Ekiti State. He was appointed by Sani Abacha. Ekiti was carved out of the old Ondo State.

Why did Sani Abacha arrest M.K.O Abiola?

Sani Abacha arrested M.K.O. Abiola because he (Abiola) declared himself the elected president of Nigeria and vowed to claim his mandate.

What killed Sani Abacha?

The cause of his death is unknown. He is believed to have been poisoned. Irishtimes.com quoted a diplomat as saying that disgruntled soldiers in the Army poisoned him.

“I know for a fact he was poisoned. My sources in the army have confirmed this. A small group of officers thought the only solution was to poison him and this is what they did.”

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