The family of late General Sani Abacha have described as untrue claims by former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in his book, “A Journey in Service”, that the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election was the responsibility of their father.

According to them, Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time the annulment of June 12 election.

A statement by Mohammed Abacha on behalf of the family said the decision to annul the election was made under the administration of Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government.

The statement said any attempt to shift the blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts.

While calling on Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons, the family said the memory of their late father must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible.

The statement described their father as a true and loyal friend to General Ibrahim Babangida up to the time of his death, adding that at a time Babangida’s life was under threat, it was Abacha who came to his rescue, ensuring his safety.