Atiku Recounts Surviving Assassination Attempt in 1994

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has shared details of a terrifying assassination attempt on his life in 1994, revealing how an exchange of gunfire between his attackers and security operatives ultimately saved him....CONTINUE READING>>>

Speaking on Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, Atiku recalled that the attack occurred while he was serving as a member of the constitutional assembly. He explained that he had gone into exile before the attempt on his life but later returned to Nigeria.

Atiku described the harrowing night, stating:
“I faced an assassination attempt around 1994 while we were in the constitutional assembly. That was when I had to flee again—first to London, then to the United States.”

Asked about what transpired that night and whether anyone died, he confirmed that several security personnel lost their lives:
“Most of them were my personal security guards at home, along with six policemen who had come to rescue me. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize that soldiers were stationed at the gate. By the time they arrived, there was an exchange of gunfire. That exchange of fire actually saved me, because once the people holding me hostage in my room heard the gunshots, they panicked and started running. When they came downstairs, they found six of the eight policemen dead, as well as two of my security men.”

Atiku also revealed that his eldest son, who was home on holiday from the UK, was initially held at gunpoint by the attackers. Witnessing this through a window, he made a bold decision:
“I saw them holding my son at gunpoint. I decided to dare them and came out, telling them, ‘Take my son back to his room. If you’re looking for me, I’m here.’ They did as I asked and then turned their attention to me.”

As he descended the staircase, the attackers opened fire through the glass door. However, having undergone security training, he instinctively dropped to the ground, avoiding the bullets. He then attempted to reason with them:
“I got up and told them, ‘I’m coming to open the door for you. Why are you shooting?'”

Atiku also revealed that he had hidden his wife and daughter inside a wardrobe and locked them in to protect them. When the attackers demanded to see his room, he instead led them to his wife’s room to prevent them from discovering his family.

According to Atiku, the gunshots outside disrupted the attack, forcing his assailants to flee. Later, he learned from then-Inspector General of Police Kumasi that the incident had been reported in a security meeting. However, when the Inspector General questioned the operation’s legitimacy, a member of the security council simply dismissed it as a “security operation.”

“The late Inspector General Kumasi confided in me that during a security meeting, he reported that six of his officers had been killed in Kaduna. A security council member then claimed it was an official operation. Kumasi asked, ‘If it was a security operation, am I not entitled to know?'”

Atiku’s account sheds light on the political turbulence of the era and the dangers he faced during his career.