By News Desk

ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that he saved former President Olusegun Obasanjo from a lethal injection plot while Obasanjo was imprisoned under the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

In an official statement addressing his ongoing political rift with Obasanjo, Atiku detailed how he leaked critical intelligence to warn Obasanjo against accepting injections from prison authorities, alleging that a similar lethal injection plot led to the death of Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua in military custody.

Claims Surrounding Prison Injections and Yar’Adua’s Death

Atiku’s account links his warning to Obasanjo directly to the circumstances surrounding the death of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who died while serving a prison sentence under the Abacha administration:

• Allegations of Fatal Injections: Atiku claimed that intelligence available to him at the time indicated an intentional plot to administer a lethal injection to incarcerated political figures under the guise of medical treatment, which he alleged was executed against Yar’Adua.
• Warning Passed to Obasanjo: Upon receiving reports of a similar attempt targeted at Obasanjo, Atiku stated that he passed urgent warnings to the former president, advising him strictly against permitting prison medical staff to administer any injections.
• Rift Over Third-Term Agenda: Atiku emphasized that despite saving Obasanjo’s life and supporting his political return in 1999, their relationship deteriorated permanently due to his firm opposition to Obasanjo’s 2006 third-term constitutional amendment attempt.

Historical Context

Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a prominent political figure and former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, died in December 1997 at the Abakaliki prison. His death, alongside allegations of poisoning or lethal medical administration while in custody, remains a subject of significant historical debate surrounding the military era.

Neither representatives for the Obasanjo media office nor historical estate trustees have issued a public response to Atiku’s latest statements.