Late Nigerian Head of State, Abacha gave me $2 million - Jerry Rawlings

In an interview with Nigerian’s Guardian newspaper, Rawlings said the amount he received was $2 million.


He said Ghana which was preparing for constitutional rule “needed funds for some activities and got contributions from a few places”.

He said although he had not requested the money from Abacha, he was impressed that the Nigerian leader deemed it fit to send it to him.

Rawlings said later when Abacha died in 1998, Nigeria conducted an investigation into his assets and the man who was sent to bring him the money claimed that it was $5 million he brought.

“I read in one of your newspapers that Mr Gwarzo, this fine gentleman, allegedly said that he brought me 5million dollars. I am glad I still have that suitcase. It shocked me a bit that such a fine respectable man could make such a claim. The amount he mentioned shocked me. That he could tell such a lie.

“When General Abubakar took over, I told him to watch out. That that report in the papers about $5million was $2million and not $5million. He didn’t make any comment. He didn’t say anything. Obasanjo took over I thought I should straighten it out with him. The comment he made was: ‘Yes, that is how they behave. When they are given something to take somewhere, they will take the majority, the bigger share.’ That was the comment Obasanjo made,” he said.