Obasanjo Says He Rejected US Asylum Before Abacha-Era Arrest
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he turned down an offer of political asylum from the United States before returning to Nigeria and being arrested under Sani Abacha’s military government.
In an interview published by BBC News Pidgin, Obasanjo recalled being warned by the American ambassador that he would be arrested if he returned. He said he rejected the offer because he had done nothing wrong.
According to his account, his passport was seized on his return, and security personnel later surrounded his farm. He said he eventually drove himself to the police station, where an Assistant Inspector-General informed him that orders had been given for his arrest.
Obasanjo also recalled former US President Jimmy Carter intervening on his behalf. He said he was later placed under house arrest before being taken to prison.
The interview revisits his experiences during the Abacha era.