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History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi - Politics - Nairaland

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History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 11:34am On May 23, 2020
Saturday, May 23, 2020

By Farooq A. Kperogi

Twitter: @farooqkperogi

In her historical fictional narrative titled “The Lost Sisterhood,” Danish-Canadian writer Anne Fortier quotes one of her characters as saying that “those who control the present can rewrite the past.” This is playing out right before us in what I called the curious posthumous deodorization of Abacha’s grand larceny in a May 7, 2020 social media update.

 Loyalists and beneficiaries of Sani Abacha’s dictatorship control Nigeria’s present, and they are trying to exploit this privilege to rewrite the sordid past of their benefactor while the rest of the country is fixated on other issues.

Muhammadu Buhari has always been invested in cleansing Abacha’s appallingly grubby reputation as a murderous larcener. During the 10th-year-rememberance anniversary of Abacha in Kano in June 2008, for instance, Muhammadu Buhari remarked that, contrary to settled narratives in the Nigerian public sphere, Abacha never stole from Nigeria.

This 2008 Buhari declaration birthed a fringe, outlandish but nonetheless popular narrative in northern Nigeria that Abacha’s reputation as a ruthless crook who stole billions of Nigeria’s patrimony and salted it away in Euro-American financial institutions was the handiwork of Olusegun Obasanjo who was taking a posthumous pound of flesh from Abacha for imprisoning him.

In the aftermath of the unrelenting repatriation of what has now been called the “Abacha loot” from Western banks, a new farcical story line was fabricated, which is that Abacha actually “saved” the money for Nigeria for a rainy day!

Apart from Buhari’s public defense of Abacha’s larceny in 2008, the posthumous discursive purification of Abacha’s image as a greedy, conscienceless thief was largely informal and took place on the margins of polite society.

Abubakar Malami, Buhari’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, officialized the revisionism of Abacha’s thievery.  In a May 4, 2020 tweet, Malami described repatriated Abacha loot as “Abacha assets.” “I am happy to confirm that the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday 4th May, 2020 received $311,797,866.11 of the Abacha assets repatriated from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey,” he wrote.

The change from “Abacha loot” to “Abacha assets” was a willful rhetorical move designed to lend official credence to the hitherto fringy, informal but nevertheless robust narrative that Abacha didn’t steal Nigeria’s money.

Led by Sahara Reporter’s Omoyele Sowore, Nigerians on social media pounced on Malami’s tweet and compelled him to retract his incompetent attempt at revisionism. In a woolly, shamefaced, error-ridden retraction, Malami said, “It is to be noted that by way of antecedence [sic] that Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN has been consistently describing the recovered funds as ‘Abacha loot’ at several fora during the process of recovery of the looted funds, particularly before the eventual repatriation of the funds.”

But it didn’t stop there. Buba Galadima, a former Buhari protégé who is now at loggerheads with him because he has been shut out of the orbit of governance, has taken off from where Malami backed off. In a May 17, 2020 interview with The Nation, he said the estimated $5 billion Sani Abacha stole from Nigeria's trough was actually "saved" for Nigeria—on the advice of Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein—in anticipation of US sanction against Nigeria so that "even if Nigeria's account was blocked by the US, there won't be panic."

Galadima, who was Director General of the National Maritime Authority during the Abacha junta, said the notion that Abacha stole from Nigeria’s till is “based on ignorance.” When an editor forwarded excerpts of the interview to me on WhatsApp, I’d dismissed it as fabricated. I was wrong.

As I pointed out on social media on May 17, the idea that the Abacha loot was “saved” for Nigeria stands logic on its head, considering that Abacha "saved" some of that money in the US whose impending blockage he was allegedly plotting against. How do you "hide" something from someone by "saving" it in his house?

Plus, even Buhari, the choirmaster of the Abacha sanitization chorus, has grudgingly conceded that his former boss stole from Nigeria’s public treasury. For example, in an April 27, 2016 tweet, Buhari said, “Nigeria is awaiting receipt from Swiss Govt. of $320 million, identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha.”

“Illegally taken” is merely a synonym for stealing. In a February 4, 2020 statement from the US Embassy in Nigeria about the repatriation of the “Abacha loot” from US banks, the US government was unambiguous in stating how the money got to its banks.

“The monies were laundered by [Abacha’s] family, including his sons Ibrahim and Mohammed, and a number of close associates,” the statement from the US reads. “The laundering operation extended to the United States and European jurisdictions such as the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Luxembourg.”

One of those associates who helped Abacha launder huge sums of money is Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu to whom the Buhari regime wanted to hand over $100 million of the recovered money, according to Bloomberg, but for the resistance of the US government. If the money was “saved” for Nigeria, why did Buhari want to hand over some of it to a person who has been identified as an accomplice in its theft?

The US Department of Justice identified Bagudu as one of Abacha’s network of proteges that, “embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria.”

It isn’t only the US that unequivocally describes the repatriated funds as the product of Abacha’s criminal despoliation of Nigeria’s resources.

In a June 12, 2017 Radio France International report titled “Swiss make deal with Nigeria on final payout for Abacha loot,” we learn that “The cash was originally frozen in Luxembourg and confiscated by the Swiss as part of a criminal investigation into Abba Abacha, Sani Abacha’s son. Switzerland had already returned some 700 million dollars following appeals by Nigeria.”

In a “Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative - Asset Recovery Watch” bulletin, there’s also a case against “Family of former President Sani Abacha,” where we read that, “In 2006, the World Bank was involved in a similar framework, providing institutional support for the return and use of approx. $723 million in public funds that had been corruptly diverted by General Abacha.”

Not all the money Abacha stole has been recovered. Of the $5 billion that Abacha looted and squirreled away—or "saved" for Nigeria, to use Galadimian logic—in the banks of countries that wanted to "block" Nigeria's money, $3.624 billion has been recovered so far. Can Galadima help Nigeria recover the rest of the money since he appears to know where the money has been "saved"?

The purveyors of the transparently fraudulent narrative that Abacha “saved” money for Nigeria in foreign banks which his detractors have decided to call “loot” should be told that they can’t rewrite history.

People, mostly young northerners who hadn’t come of age when Abacha’s evil regime reigned, have sent me private messages asking that I help stop the “demonization” of Abacha. For them, it’s a regional and religious project. But that’s misguided. Islam teaches us to be fair, just, and truthful. It doesn’t teach us to lie to salvage the image of a dead thief among us.

 The unvarnished truth is that Abacha did NOT save money for Nigeria; he STOLE from it with conscienceless glee. It’s distressing that one has to even say this in spite of the clear evidence that stares us in the face.

https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2020/05/history-of-abachas-theft-is-being.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+NotesFromAtlanta+(Notes+from+Atlanta)&m=1

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by DrGoodman: 11:37am On May 23, 2020
And a certain "Saint " Bubu was in charge of the whole money accruing from oil sales called the PTF funds, that's where the whole money left from.

182 Likes 13 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 11:47am On May 23, 2020
Plus,even Buhari, the choirmaster of the Abacha sanitization chorus, has grudgingly conceded that his former boss stole from Nigeria’s public treasury. For example, in an April 27, 2016 tweet, Buhari said, “Nigeria is awaiting receipt from Swiss Govt. of $320 million, identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha......Illegally taken is merely a synonym for stealing..."
Sarrki, Helinues, Seunmsg, your inputs please.

116 Likes 7 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by phelonrays: 11:49am On May 23, 2020
Saved for Nigeria

Imagine taking part of your foodstuffs/supplements to saved in a fridge owned by a person whom you assumed or feared may blocked you from getting the same supplies in the future,,....


Seems politics have erode some elders people God given brain and replace it with cluelessness.... embarassed

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 11:50am On May 23, 2020
"The unvarnished truth is that Abacha did NOT save money for Nigeria; he STOLE from it with conscienceless glee. It’s distressing that one has to even say this in spite of the clear evidence that stares us in the face."

Meanwhile, all the Abacha's henchmen "loyalists and beneficiaries of (his) dictatorship control Nigeria’s present, and they are trying to exploit this privilege to rewrite the sordid past of their benefactor.." They are all in the ruling APC regime.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 11:56am On May 23, 2020
DrGoodman:
And a certain "Saint " Bubu was in charge of the whole money accruing from oil sales called the PTF funds, that's where the whole money left from.
Yet same Bubu is shamelessly receiving all the Abacha's looted funds being retrieved from all cranies of the world Hausa- fulani corruption are not legally acceptable corruption.They think all Nigerians are moronic zombies that will swallow any lie hook, line and sinker.

52 Likes 3 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Wiseandtrue(f): 12:10pm On May 23, 2020
Racoon, Abacha looting the country is a difficult narrative to change, no matter how they try, the truth though glaring is extremely difficult to change!

Reasons:
If you say Abacha never stole, then which money have you been collecting

If you claimed that advisers advised him to stash the money in other countries then why was the monies not properly documented

How many of those so called foreign leaders stashed money in Nigeria

Saying that Abacha's loot is an asset is like saying that Deziani's loot is also an asset, Evans loot should also be called an asset e.t.c

It will take a hardened criminal worse than Abacha to say that he didn't steal!!!

143 Likes 14 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by GamalNasser: 12:11pm On May 23, 2020
DrGoodman:
And a certain "Saint " Bubu was in charge of the whole money accruing from oil sales called the PTF funds, that's where the whole money left from.

Bubu was the one the stole all that money not Abacha

22 Likes

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by sapientia(m): 12:31pm On May 23, 2020
They can only try.

Yea.

1 Like 1 Share

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by jarawa: 12:33pm On May 23, 2020
Abacha do not stole Nigerian money - mr president.

Abacha's asset - Mallami

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 12:38pm On May 23, 2020
Wiseandtrue:
..,Abacha looting the country is a difficult narrative to change, no matter how they try, the truth though glaring is extremely difficult to change!

Reasons:
If you say Abacha never stole, then which money have you been collecting? If you claimed that advisers advised him to stash the money in other countries then why was the monies not properly documented? How many of those so called foreign leaders stashed money in Nigeria?

Saying that Abacha's loot is an asset is like saying that Deziani's loot is also an asset, Evans loot should also be called an asset e.t.c.It will take a hardened criminal worse than Abacha to say that he didn't steal!!!
All former Nigerian military rulers or dictators are crooked soldiers of fortune.We're not deceived.Nonsense

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Wiseandtrue(f): 12:41pm On May 23, 2020
Racoon:
All former Nigerian military rulers or dictators are crooked soldiers of fortune.We're not deceive.Nonsense!
Who even takes Buhari's comment on this issue seriously

He can keep deceiving himself amongst his fellow northern elites grin grin cheesy

22 Likes 1 Share

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Atomemmy(m): 1:04pm On May 23, 2020
Chai

That there are still controversies concerning Abacha's loot is something I don't understand. For Christ sake, the man is dead, and it wouldn't change anything, saying if he stole the money or not. We should rather be focused on returning those monies and use it to the betterment of our country.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by vedaxcool(m): 1:12pm On May 23, 2020
How I wish op will finally explain what his heroes of looting did with the loot they recovered from Abacha instead of talking about his reputation which will not solve any of our problems.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 2:10pm On May 23, 2020
Wiseandtrue:
Who even takes Buhari's comment on this issue seriouslyHe can keep deceiving himself amongst his fellow northern elites.
You can fool some people but cant fool all the people @ once.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Racoon(m): 2:16pm On May 23, 2020
vedaxcool:
How I wish op will finally explain what his heroes of looting did with the loot they recovered from Abacha instead of talking about his reputation which will not solve any of our problems.
Have EFCC, ICPC ever trace any stolen or lost money to NOI? And in your warped mind, can that staggering amount of money be missing without the impact being felt?

Ask Emir Sanusi about all the audio monies he alleged were missing back then to tell you where they are today. Buhari & many others desperation to canonized the grand heist committed by Abacha keep falling like a pack of cards.Defending Bubu is a tall task.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by 247day: 2:28pm On May 23, 2020
[s]
vedaxcool:
How I wish op will finally explain what his heroes of looting did with the loot they recovered from Abacha instead of talking about his reputation which will not solve any of our problems.
[/s]

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by thundafire: 2:29pm On May 23, 2020
This man is spot on

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by ProfAmaben(m): 3:10pm On May 23, 2020
Farooq Kperogi PhD, the man that makes PhD holders proud. Abacha was a northerner and it's normal for his people to defend him, afterall, Nigeria is "our own".
Abacha did well in governance anyway, if he was alive, nobody would have discovered all these loots, even if you discovered it, can you look Abacha in the eyes and tell him he's a thief?
Every sane mind knows that there would be a sudden change in Nigeria pretty soon which may come in the form of Balkanization or restructuring.

26 Likes 2 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by fidupeh: 3:11pm On May 23, 2020
u can also rewrite it
Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Dangrace01: 3:11pm On May 23, 2020
Naso
Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Hausaboy239(m): 3:11pm On May 23, 2020
Birds of the same feather!

Abacha own na play sha cox with the way things are I don’t think there has been any past government that will equal what this administration has LOOTED and still LOOTING,

Just watch out for 2023 if hopefully the APC losses the presidential seat and see as it will unfold.

This Administration issa SCAM!

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by salbis(m): 3:12pm On May 23, 2020
Abacha's stealing was legendary. He keeps sending alerts from great beyond.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by ecolime(m): 3:12pm On May 23, 2020
Bubu & co can't 'wash' Abacha clean posthumously. He will forever be known as a thief.

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Makanakico(f): 3:12pm On May 23, 2020
Abacha never intended to use the stashed monies personally, he was advised to stash enormous cash in different central banks of the world to alleviate the effect of looming US sanctions; the US wanted to sanction Nigeria because Abacha wanted to form an alliance to form an African unified currency.
So Abacha should rather be praised because he meant well for Nigeria.
But baby-factory-land people will be here to spill non sense.

Argue with your phone.

4 Likes 2 Shares

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by ideabuilder: 3:12pm On May 23, 2020
I beg make Una free the man. Every Nigerian in corridor of power stole, steals and will continue to steal.

Abacha is just unlucky not to be alive to defend his loot

1 Like 1 Share

Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by emeijeh(m): 3:13pm On May 23, 2020
Fact: By 2040, Abacha will still be sending support funds to our looting government

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by mytime24(f): 3:13pm On May 23, 2020
Abacha is'nt corrupt



Says bubu

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by AFvckingAlpha(m): 3:13pm On May 23, 2020
Northerners been making a mess of Nigeria since 1967.

Greedy Bastards!

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by Nobody: 3:13pm On May 23, 2020
Abacha has to be one of the biggest thieves in history. The major concern is how this "Anticorruption" government has defended him. To what end? How can Nigeria ever have hope when we cannot all agree that Abacha stole billions of dollars from Nigeria?

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Re: History Of Abacha’s Theft Is Being Rewritten Before Our Eyes By Farooq Kperogi by 1deca: 3:14pm On May 23, 2020
All would be well.

There's no other way to God than to call upon Him your self through Jusus Christ. Pls don't make any mistake.

No one is perfect but please accept Jesus Christ as your personally Lord and Savior now because tomorrow maybe too late.

Tell him to have mercy upon you and save your soul and He should please write your name in the book of life, Amen


GOD LOVES US

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