Former Head of State cites international autopsy and Abiola’s medical history in new autobiography launched in Abuja

Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has refuted long-standing claims that Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was poisoned while in detention, stating that an international autopsy confirmed the June 12 icon died of natural causes. Abdulsalami made this disclosure in Abuja on Monday during the launch of his autobiography, ‘Call of Duty’, held as part of his 84th birthday celebrations.

In the book, Abdulsalami revisited the circumstances around Abiola’s death on 7 July 1998, which occurred during a meeting with a delegation from the United States government. The delegation included Tom Pickering, then US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, and Susan Rice, then Assistant Secretary for African Affairs. Shortly after the meeting began at an undisclosed Abuja location, Abiola developed a severe cough and complained of feeling hot before collapsing. A doctor was immediately called in and later pronounced him dead from what was diagnosed as a heart attack.

The development reignited decades-old suspicions among many Nigerians that Abiola had been poisoned—particularly theories focusing on a cup of tea served during the meeting. Abdulsalami, however, wrote: “I do not believe Abiola was poisoned. The family requested an autopsy and we assembled American, British, Nigerian and Canadian pathologists to conduct it. The autopsy report attributed his death to natural causes.” He further noted that medical records dating back to 1994 showed Abiola had pre-existing health conditions including hypertension and an enlarged heart consistent with hypertensive heart disease.

Drawing from Susan Rice’s memoir ‘Tough Love’, Abdulsalami described how Abiola began coughing severely almost as soon as the meeting started before suffering breathing difficulties and being rushed for urgent medical attention. “Efforts to save him were unsuccessful,” he added, citing also Tom Pickering’s account that detailed how visibly distressed Abiola became before he passed away. The former Head of State also recalled receiving news from his Chief Security Officer Abdulrasheed Aliyu: “Aliyu, my CSO, called me. As soon as I picked, he said in a shaky voice that there was a problem… He said Abiola was dead. My head went blank.”

Beyond clarifying the cause of death, Abdulsalami used his autobiography to address other key moments in Nigeria’s political history—including the annulment of the June 12 presidential election—and to counter persistent rumours surrounding deaths under military rule. As at press time, opposition figures could not be immediately reached for comment on Abdulsalami’s revelations.

Source: https://www.pulse.ng/story/abiolas-tea-wasnt-poisoned-nearly-three-decades-later-abdulsalami-abubakar-opens-up-on-the-cause-of-mkos-death-2026061711095135699