Former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, has dismissed longstanding claims that Chief MKO Abiola was poisoned, stating that an autopsy conducted by pathologists from Nigeria, the United States, Britain and Canada concluded that he died of natural causes.
In his autobiography, Call of Duty, unveiled during activities marking his 84th birthday in Abuja, Abdulsalami said Abiola had pre-existing health conditions, including hypertension and heart disease, before his death in detention on July 7, 1998.
The former military ruler recounted that Abiola collapsed during a meeting with a visiting American delegation that included Susan Rice and Tom Pickering. Despite efforts by doctors, he was later pronounced dead.
Abdulsalami also rejected allegations that he received $500 million following the death of Sani Abacha, describing the claim as “pure fantasy” and insisting no such payment was ever made.
