Abacha was the defence minister under Babangida, they were real close friends, when Babangida left, why didn't he take all his ministers and friends with him, instead he subject Nigerians to the cruel dictatorship and embezzlement of Abacha.  Imagine if he got a way with $700 Mill, what about the undetected crooks? 


The $700 million stashed away in Swiss banks by the late Head State, General Sani Abacha, and his family “have now been fully” repatriated back to the Nigerian Government, the Swiss Government said yesterday.
The country’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Pierre Helg, disclosed this at a cocktail commemorating the 715th Anniversary of the Swiss Confederation in Abuja last night.
In the words of the Ambassador, “I am pleased to note that the bilateral relations are again at their best. Some will remember that last year we had ups and downs with the restitution of the Abacha funds. But today, the whole of this money is back in Nigeria and, also thanks to the constructive and very friendly visit of President Olusegun Obasanjo to Switzerland last April, everything is over and I see on both sides a fruitful spirit of cooperation.”
Helg noted that another $7 million was, however, being held in an account of an unnamed Nigerian who had employed the services of a good lawyer to prove that the money was honestly earned.
“The total of the amount is known to everybody, it was $700 million, out of that about one percent is still frozen in a bank account which is in the hand of a
Nigerian, that is about $7 million, which he says is for the Abacha family, which they say, they could prove that it was honestly earned. So 99 percent had been repatriated so far.”
According to him, ‘the last repatriation was made in February 2006 and it was only a few millions, but then everything matters.”
He said with the rekindled mutual trust being developed between the two countries, new Swiss investors, especially in the area of special services were coming to Nigeria.
“New Swiss investors are coming, namely in the sector of services, which I regard as a tribute paid by our private operators to the current economic reforms initiated by the President Obasanjo and his team.”
He expressed his government’s commendation for what he described as “tremendous efforts presently undertaken in Nigeria to consolidate democracy, promote transparency and improve the functioning of the country. No doubt, Nigeria is promised to a bright future.
The Ambassador noted that since her foundation in 1291, Switzerland has gone through many civil wars, tensions and hot discussions on her future. ‘But since 1815, inspite of our diversity in terms of languages, cultures, mentalities and origins-currently, 21 percent of our inhabitants are foreigners-things and people have been more or less under control and our neutral country has enjoyed uninterrupted peace.”
Helg stated that the country had a flourishing direct democracy with countless popular referendums every year upon all possible issues. He stressed that because of an inclusive type of democracy, the Switzerland had democratically refused so far to join the European Union.
The incidence of looting of public money and stashing it in western financial institutions is a global problem and developing /developed countries as well as international organizations are at a loss on how to stemor control the phenomenon.  Heads of States such as “Baby Doc” Duvalier of Haiti, Ferdinand Marcos of Philippines, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire, and President Suharto of Indonesia are the most publicized culprits of this global crime.  It has been estimated that hundreds of billions of dollars have been expatriated both by these persons and lesser known figures and the consequences have been grave since citizens of the countries in which the practice occurs are bereft of developmental amenities as a result of stealing public money.  President Sani Abacha, the late Nigerian Head of State, has however joined the league of the biggest culprits of this crime, as a source put the estimated amount he and his cronies stole at between twelve to sixteen billion dollars.
General Sani Abacha ruled Nigeria from December 1993 to May 1998 until he suffered a heart attack, which put a stop to his penchant for stealing public money and stashing them in Western banks.  He rose from humble beginnings and became the Nigerian Defense Minister under the regime of another suspected looter of public funds, President Ibrahim Babangida when General Ibrahim Babangida relinquished power in August 1993; he put in place an interim government, which had as head Chief Ernest Shonekan, with Abacha retaining his portfolio as Defense Minister.  Some months later Sani Abacha maneuvered himself to the number one spot, having forced Ernest Shonekan to hand over power on the pretence that hw was going to install a civilian administration.
Instead of doing this, General Sani Abacha eliminated all threats or those whom he perceived as threats as he commenced to perpetuate himself on the seat of power.  As head of state, he made corruption and stealing the basis of the Nigerian political economy and those close to his wheeling and dealing, friends and relatives, became benefactors of his dubious schemes.  He ran the Nigerian treasury and economy like a personal estate and to protect the estate, the political fortunes of the nation had to be subordinated to his whim.  By 1997, he had conceptualized an elaborate self succession plan and this meant using money direct from the Nigerian Central Bank to hire marabouts, settle hangers-on such as traditional rulers and politicians, many of whom went home with expensive car gifts for simply agreeing to keep him on as then nation’s leader.

Your post reads more like a public relations pitch for Switzerland than a resolution on why IBB should not be allowed to rule Nigeria again.

plzzzzzzzzz
I was still small when he was our president
my dad said that it was terrible then
after obasanjo now IBB
this is from frying pan to fire
he should even try it cos he ll just
die like abacha

can u imagine my sister o.
upon all the money they have,they still
want more.so that we ll all die
God forbid
its not going to happen
unless he decides to change
but i have never seen a clean pig
so he is still the bad IBB

the root of all evil, MONEY POWER AND RESPECT, well in their case, its not respect, its intimidation.  he has money, not sure if he is respected, but he want that power again.  If he is allowed to contest, my fear is he will find Way to win.  remember his name is MARADONA
the greatest dribbler

its not even possible at all
they will just kill him that funsho williams.
trust nigerian guys!!!!!

please, were you in Nigeria when he rule, his bodyguards were call gorillas for a reason, they were all train in Israel. this are experts. its easy to see a governor than to get close to maradona, this is the same man during his regime that will have the road close for hours before he left do-don barracks, lots of Military and police man on the roads, and all passer have to turn their back facing the road. you are not allowed to look at the street at Okoti Eboh street close to do-don barracks.

i would love to see that blood sucker dead period IBB to hell with him

I was looking for a reason in your poste which supports the above heading and could not find any. Maybe you forgot something, please say in one line why you think IBB should not be allowed to rule Nigeria.

Otoxx read the 1st paragraphy and it linked both dictators together

thats a very weak linkage.

you must be one of the beneficiaries of IBB post corruption regime or his right hand man

Odeku:

please, were you in Nigeria when he rule, his bodyguards were call gorillas for a reason, they were all train in Israel. this are experts. its easy to see a governor than to get close to maradona, this is the same man during his regime that will have the road close for hours before he left do-don barracks, lots of Military and police man on the roads, and all passer have to turn their back facing the road. you are not allowed to look at the street at Okoti Eboh street close to do-don barracks.

Have you forgotten the ORKA coup. where was his gorilla body guard then. he escaped death by a inch beacuse of the heroics of his ADC. he was succesfully topppled; but the coup plotter made a mistake. They made their sppech too early and decidede to cut out the North from nigeria. This is w aht mobilized the northern generals to stage a counter attack and replace a visibly injured babangida [why does he leap? not sure if he still does but he did back then].
in summary if the west is not behind you, you will be toppled easily. I cannot forsee any western contry backing babaginda. If he runs he will be signing his death warrant [the current obasanjo scheme has shifted the playing field away form the northern to the southern generals, there will be no counter].

i apologize for all the typos.

Have you forgotten the ORKA coup? where were his gorilla body guards then? he escaped death by a inch because of the heroics of his ADC. he was succesfully toppled; but the coup plotters made a mistake. They made their speech too early and decided to cut out the North from nigeria. This was what mobilized the northern generals to stage a counter attack and reinstall a visibly injured babangida. in summary if the west is not behind you, you will be toppled easily. I cannot forsee any western contry backing babaginda. If he runs he will be signing his death warrant [the current obasanjo scheme has shifted the playing field away form the northern to the southern and middle belt generals, there will be no counter].

tried to correct what i could find? i apologize for the typos again

It was all rumored that he was topple, he was killed, and yes his ADC was killed in the coup. remember the 1st general to address the nation was Abacha and domkart Bali after the coup. Babangida was in hidding giving directives just like any leader or president in distress would. this man is not just your average Joe general, he is wise, cunning and evil, and should not be taken lightly, my question is what if Buhari win the election as the next president, will he then retaliate against IBB and try to expose his, remember IBB topple Buhari/Idiagbon regime, so we will see.

Babangida was toppled, it ook the effort of domka and especially abacha to reinstall him. he hiding because he was injured. this coup plotters took control of the air waves and even read a speech
http://www.againstbabangida.com/articles/2005/featured_orkar.htm
therefore, it is not a rumour, it is the truth.

Babangida and Buhari are wasting there time campaigning. they are being swindled by thier greed for power and the never dying nigeria sycophants. They might get some votes in the north, but fron the middle belt down they will loose with a wide margin. You guys give him too much credit [evil genius]. the guy steped aside when he knew that a more powerful abacha [at that time in the millitary] was nursing an ambition for the presidency. he only had two options, die or go at your own will. even a fool will pick the second [why was he quiet during the abacha presidency?].

There were 2 coup during IBB regime, they were both smashed, I don't even like the guy, but he wasn't injured he came on TV the 3rd day and spoke to the nation, he was never captured or topple as all the paper then insinuated. they got close to him, but never actually had him, the news broke too early which was another mistake they made.

at the end of the day. babangida cannot be president. his sycophants are only pushing him to get some of that gulf war money.

Why don't u want baba? abi na papa u want? hmn! papa has over-stayedon that sit abeg. Its time 4 baba to take position o

why would i want him? tell me what he did that was significant during his 8 year stay?

He organized the best election in Nigeria; introducing the option A4 in the process.

anbd what happened to the election?

don't forget he introduced cell phone and internet saga in Nigeria as well. give the man some credit. he cant do it all, what other president in Nigeria history has improve or contribute to the advancement of Nigeria as a society?

@odeku; this change in opinion is ,

OK I'm getting confused are we talking on OBJ or IBB, ?as for IBB I have not hing good to say about this man, and I remember as a child trying to find my way in life, and all IBB did was stampede on us

How did IBB stampede on you?

his derange policies forced me out of Nigeria