According to Gumsu, Abdullahi was in good health the night before his death, but he died at his family’s home on Nelson Mandela Street in Abuja. She called on well-wishers to pray for her brother and ask Allah to forgive his shortcomings and grant him paradise.
Abdullahi’s death came as a shock to many Nigerians, who took to social media to express their condolences. Some Nigerians also shared memories of his father's regime, which was marked by corruption, human rights abuses, and repression of the media.
Abdullahi’s father, General Sani Abacha, ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. During his regime, he was accused of stealing billions of dollars from the country's coffers and suppressing the opposition. His regime was also accused of numerous human rights cases of abuse, including the execution of environmentalist Ken Saro-Wiwa.
After Abacha's death, Nigeria's democratic government set up a committee to recover the looted funds from his regime. The committee reported that Abacha had stolen at least $2.2 billion from the country. The government has since recovered some of the stolen funds from foreign banks.
Abdullahi's death has also revived memories of his family's wealth, which was said to be a result of his father's ill-gotten wealth. The Abacha family was reported to have stashed away billions of dollars in foreign accounts, and the Nigerian government has been trying to recover the funds.
The Abacha family has denied any wrongdoing and has been fighting the Nigerian government's attempts to recover the funds. However, the family recently reached an agreement with the government to return $311 million in funds that were traced to foreign accounts.
Abdullahi’s death has also reignited debates about the legacy of his father's regime. While some Nigerians remember the regime as a period of stability and development, others see it as a dark chapter in the country's history.
The news of Abdullahi's death also sparked concerns about the health of the Abacha family. Some Nigerians speculated that his death could be a result of an underlying health condition that runs in the family.
Abdullahi's death has also raised questions about the fate of the Abacha family's remaining assets. The family's properties, including a mansion in Abuja and other valuable assets, have been subject to government seizure over the years.
In recent years, the Nigerian government has intensified its efforts to recover stolen funds from corrupt officials and their families. The government has also set up institutions to fight corruption, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC has been investigating the Abacha family's assets and has recovered some of the looted funds. The agency has also been collaborating with foreign governments to recover assets that were stashed away in foreign accounts.