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.”
Sources:
- Featured image by Tribune Online
- Enemaku Idachaba. “Chronology of Major Political Events in the Abacha Era (1993-1998)”. Openedition.org. Retrieved March 17, 2022
- Falode Adewumi (November 2018). “The Military and Political Development in Nigeria: The General Sani Abacha Regime, 1993-1998”. Researchgate.net. Retrieved March 19, 2022
