Abacha vowed I, Abiola and Yar’Adua would not come out of prison alive – Olusegun Obasanjo recounts past experience

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that the late military Head of State, Sani Abacha, swore that he, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, and MKO Abiola would not survive imprisonment. Obasanjo attributed his own survival from Abacha’s deadly threat solely to God’s grace.

He made this disclosure at Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, during the commissioning of a new Assemblies of God Church. Obasanjo stated that Abacha’s intention for the three of them not to emerge alive was driven by his desire to remain in power.

According to Obasanjo: “When I was arrested, the man who arrested me, I thought he was making a mistake. He had decided that some of us must be liquidated if he has to be in power permanently.

“There I was, but then, initially I was confused, I had not done anything wrong. Was it a mistake?” He recounted, When I realised that it wasn’t a mistake, I was full of prayers, including praying as Stephen prayed but amended my own prayer somewhat.” Obasanjo added,

“I said whether they know what they are doing or they do not know what they are doing, God forgive them.” He then shared.

“I resigned myself into the hands of God and the man who arrested us boasted that three of us will not come out of the detention or prison alive that MKO Abiola will not come out alive, that Shehu Yar’Adua will not come out alive and that Olusegun Obasanjo will not come out alive.” He concluded,

“Two of the three he had planned not to come out alive did not come out alive, I did come out alive not because of my power but the special grace of God.”