Business
How Abacha Killed Musa Yar’adua with deadly Virus – Obasanjo reveals
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that former military dictator, Sani Abacha, injected a deadly virus into Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, an Army major general who served as his Chief of Staff, while the deceased, MKO Abiola and himself were in prison.
The former president disclosed this at a dinner program organized by an inter-denominational Christian organization, Christ The Redeemer’s Friends International of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 39 Chapter yesterday July 8th.
According to Sahara Reporters, Obasanjo alleged that Yar’Adua was poisoned by Abacha’s killer squad, adding that he was to be next victim, but that he was saved by God’s divine grace.
“Two people had earlier told me Abacha promised that three of us would not come out of prison or detention alive; myself. Shehu Yar Adua and MKO Abiola. And two of them did not come out alive. So, that I came out alive, maybe God has a purpose. And therefore if the purpose is for me to serve the people and by so doing, serve God, then so be it. Abacha claimed that I was plotting a coup.
I wasn’t the first to be arrested. When Shehu (Yar’Adua) was arrested, I tried to plead for his release. When Abacha said he didn’t know about Shehu’s arrest, I said to him, ‘the number two man in this country cannot be arrested without you knowing.’
He then said he would go and find out. In Abacha’s plan, he left God out of it and because he left God out of his plan, it (his government) eventually failed. There is God’s hand in the life of each and every one of us and every institution. I believe that very well.
When I was arrested, they took me to a house in Ikoyi (Lagos) and that became my abode (I was) in isolation, for three months. In the meantime, there were national and international pressures for my release, (former US) President Jimmy Carter was one of the world leaders that came to ask for my release. Some African leaders like Yoweri Museveni and Robert Mugabe came.
I believe it was because of those pressures that I was released from isolation in Ikoyi where I was under house arrest.”
According to the former president, one of the worst days on earth would be the day he was court-martialled and sentenced
“I must say that, that day, in a split second, it felt like the worst day in my life. What flashed through my mind was that I was forever ruined. I asked myself, ‘What did I do to deserve this? Is this what I get for serving Nigeria?’ But then, I told myself again that this was not done to me by Nigeria, but that one man did it for me.”
Obasanjo said he and Yar’Adua were detained in Jos and Port Harcourt prisons because they were the best prisons in the country at the time.
“I was to go to Jos (prison) and Yar’Adua was to go to Port Harcourt (prison). In Jos, I was visited by my colleagues, including Yakubu Danjuma, Joe Garba, Domkat Bali, many of our colleagues, and then family members and friends.
Then a decision was made that I was becoming too popular in Jos prison and I had to be transferred to Yola prison which is a native authority prison and I don’t need to tell you what life was there.
In Jos prison, before I was transferred to Yola prison, they had decided that Shehu Yar’Adua and myself should be poisoned. So, they took him from Port Harcourt prison to Abakaliki. In the process, he was injected with the virus that killed him.
The same was supposed to be done to me. The man who came took me from the prison to a guest house in the GRA in Jos, said, ‘We know you have a problem with cholesterol so I have to take your blood for a test.’ Then I said, ‘Not on your life, I don’t have any problem with cholesterol. I was slightly diabetic.
But God had taken care of it because I was checking my blood sugar almost on a daily basis and it had become better than normal. So, I refused him (the man) touching me with anything. So, they took me to Yola and he said, ‘when you get to where you are going, we will come again.’”
Obasanjo said a doctor and specialist in the prison saved him from being poisoned. “The doctor was a professional man in charge of the General Hospital in Yola.
He listened to my case that I needed special food because I was diabetic. He said the specialist would come to see me. The specialist turned out to be somebody from Okeogun in Oyo State. Two, he was a Baptist, and three, he had heard about me and knew me. So, he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t let anybody touch you with anything.
Within three weeks the man that came to me earlier returned again and said he wanted to take my blood. I said, ‘No, you have to get my doctor to come and take my blood for you.’
That was the arrangement between me and the doctor. And my doctor came and he brought a syringe and he took my blood and gave it to him. He now asked the man, ‘When would we have the result? ’The man said, ‘Within 24 hours of my getting to Abuja.’I haven’t heard the result until today.”
Obasanjo said after his release from prison, he gave into pressure to contest for the presidency and he ended up becoming president for two terms by the grace of God. “Nigeria that was a pariah state became a darling (of the world). What is the lesson for me?
I developed in prison but unfortunately, I was not able to sustain it. Maybe because there was nothing else to do in prison except to pray and fast. I used to fast a lot. On three occasions, I fasted for seven days, no water, no food… a unique power was given to me by God.
In all these, God did not leave me alone, and I know that. I say to people that God has never let me alone nor disappointed me in spite of all. I am a sinner. It is not because of my goodness, but because of the grace of God, and the grace of God continues to abound.”
Can We Have More Bankers Like Victoria Mulero? An epitome of ‘omoluabi’
In February of this year, I needed to open a new bank account for salary purposes, as required by the management of the new company I had just joined.
I considered First Bank, Access Bank, and Sterling Bank. After some thought, I chose Sterling Bank—not because I found them superior—but because I believed they had fewer customers, which I hoped would save me from long queues and unnecessary delays.
I visited the Sterling Bank branch at Akowonjo to open the account. Unfortunately, the staff member who attended to me didn’t inspire confidence. She appeared distracted—smiling at her phone, clearly engrossed in a private chat—far from the level of professionalism one would expect in a bank setting. I had a feeling this would lead to problems down the line.
When my first salary was paid into the account, my suspicion was confirmed. Sterling Bank restricted access to my funds—I couldn’t transfer money or make withdrawals at the counter. I visited their Fatai Atere branch at Ladipo, Mushin to complain, where I was informed that the account opened for me was a “Kaikai” account—a type I had never heard of. Apparently, this account type is meant for individuals who lack the required documents during account creation. But I had submitted all necessary documents, so why was such an account opened for me?
At the Fatai Atere branch, I was attended to by a remarkable banker named Victoria Mulero. She requested my NIN, which I didn’t have on me at the time. Rather than send me back home, she asked if I had a digital copy. I did, and she graciously gave me her email address so I could forward it to her. With that, she resolved the issue promptly and professionally.
However, the following month, in March, the same restriction happened again. I returned to the Fatai Atere branch, and once again, Victoria Mulero handled my complaint with efficiency and kindness, resolving it without delay.
I hoped the matter was finally settled, but when my April salary arrived, the restriction was imposed yet again. This time, I was beyond frustrated and ready to replace Sterling Bank as my salary account. Still, I visited the Fatai Atere branch one last time. Once more, Victoria Mulero resolved the issue with grace and determination.
This write-up is a tribute to Victoria Mulero of Sterling Bank, Fatai Atere branch. She is a rare gem—respectful, diligent, and genuinely customer-focused. She went above and beyond, following up with the Akowonjo branch through calls and emails until the matter was fully resolved. She handled every situation with patience and empathy, treating the job as if the bank belonged to her family.
To be honest, I’ve had unpleasant experiences with many bankers, especially female staff. Too often, they carry personal frustrations into the banking hall and take it out on customers. But Victoria is different. She exemplifies what true customer service should be.
We may not all be the same, but treating people with respect and kindness is a skill that can be learned—and Victoria clearly has. Let’s celebrate her for being a model professional and a beacon of hope in an industry that too often lacks empathy.
Without any fear of contradiction, I say boldly that Victoria Mulero is a good ambassador of Sterling Bank and her parents too deserve encomium for raising a well trained daughter and impacting an attitude of ‘ omoluabi’ in her. We need more of Victoria Mulero in our banking industry.
Seun Jacob Ogunbiyi
Known as Olùkọ́, the therapeutic writer and Lagos based journalist
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