As previously mentioned, my relationship with General Abubakar dates back to the immediate post-civil war era when with a number of officers including Lt SVL Malu and Major J.T. Useni we played hockey together in Benin City. Against this backdrop, supporting General Abubakar was the natural thing to do. 

Unfortunately, as soon as he became the Commander in Chief, he changed. One day, I went to see him while he was still in Fort IBB. He told me he hoped the job God has given him would not stain our relationship. I was shocked by that statement but did not take it seriously. I told him he was the Commander in Chief and our relationship depended on him. He emphasised that he had been assured of my absolute loyalty during his nomination. I added that if at any time he felt threatened by me, I was ready to resign and go home. I thought the matter ended there. 

He started holding meetings with Generals Babangida and Aliyu Gusau. I was receiving reports of their getting together. I did not bother myself about such meetings because I knew we were not staying long in government. Unknown to me, General Abubakar had already committed himself to Generals Babangida, TY Danjuma and Aliyu Gusau on General Obasanjo’s coming to take over from him—a proposal I totally objected to, which I told Generals Abubakar, TY Danjuma and Aliyu Gusau in very clear terms. 

My stand did not go down well with the Generals, and General Abubakar started feeling unsafe. He started using some officers, especially from intelligence, to write all sorts of reports against me saying I was too ambitious and wanted to be the Commander in Chief. I expected General Abubakar to know that I had no ambition of becoming the Commander in Chief since no one would have stopped me from taking over after General Abacha’s death. One may ask why he did not simply remove me. This could have been because he knew I had total control of the ARMY, and any move to remove would have removed him as well; even though he did not trust me, he knew he could not do without me.  

Then came the appointments to determine who his CGS would be. He asked for my suggestions. Out of loyalty and respect for seniority, I mentioned the two most senior officers then in service, Major General Rufus Kupolati and AVM Ayinla, who was a minister. Abubakar told me that Kupolati from Kogi was from the north, just like him. This was true, but I thought Ayinla, as the most senior officer, was most qualified. He told me he would think about it. The next day, he told me he had decided to make Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Akhigbe the CGS and make AVM Ayinla the CNS. He said he would make the CDS and the Minister of Defence Staff. I did not comment on this. 

After some days, he sent for me again and said he would keep me in the Army as COAS. I believe he had discussions with some friends and was advised to hold the Ministry of Defence. He asked for a suggestion for a CDS, which should be outside the Army. I knew AVM Daggash was also a close friend of Abubakar and suggested him. General Abubakar immediately agreed. 

We went to ministerial appointments in which some ministers were brought back while others were dropped. We agreed that General PN Aziza was to be the minister of transport, and Abubakar had me inform Aziza. Surprisingly, when the ministerial appointments were released, General Aziza was not the minister of transport. I now realised that a man’s character is only known when he has power and money.  

It is important to note that as COAS during Abubakar’s time, I never received anything for the Nigerian Army. For every project I planned, I always kept funds and was able to complete all of them. I left a cash and bank balance of about two billion naira for General Malu, who succeeded me. I am glad General Malu openly said this because he was also starved of funds by the Obasanjo administration. The funds I left for him enabled him to run the army. 

It is evident that Abubakar was being misled from outside the government about me. This led to his taking me along when he visited the United Kingdom, the US, and France for fear of being overthrown by me- a fear his advisers put into him”.  

That was the account of General Ishaya Bamaiyi. 

But those of us at The Villa in the early morning of June 8, knew that apart from Mr. T. Fagbemi, who General Bamaiyi claimed wrote the minutes of the meeting, no other civilian was present at the meeting. Mr. Bisi Ogunniyi, a hardcore bureaucrat from Iree in Osun state, who served the longest in The Villa, told me recently, that the atmosphere at The Villa, on that day was “fully charged.” 

Admiral (rtd.) Taiwo Odedina from Ijebu Ode, who was a member of the Provisional Ruling Council then, and now a golf enthusiast told me at Ikoyi club, that till today, he was still trying to comprehend what fully happened. 

Suffice it to say that the Chief Justice of the Federation at that time, Justice Mohammed Lawan Uwais (88), was at the residence of General Abacha along with Alhaji Baba Gana Kingigbe now 80 (then Minister of Power and Steel), Alhaji Gidado Idris and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie (March 18, 1942 – July 19, 2018) in the morning of June 8. They were among the first set of people to be told of the former head of states’ death. They offered prayers before the corpse was taken to Kano for burial. 

The Chief of Defence then, Major General (rtd.) Abdusalam Abubakar (82) was at the residence too and strangely enough came in a jogging track suit and left after the prayers only to come back in full military attire to accompany the corpse to Kano.  

June 8 was a historic day, a sort of historic watershed in this country especially in The Villa. The atmosphere that day was subdued. It was depressing and sober. People were watching instead of talking as there was nothing to talk about. Those working in The Villa wore gloomy faces. 

What happened that June 8, 1998, cannot be fully captured or defined by anyone not even by Major (rtd.) Al Hamza Al Mustapha (65) from Nguru in Yobe State, the Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha, who lost his enormous power and influence that day. 

The most powerful instantly became tamed and submissive. There was suspense in the air. No one was sure of what was to happen. 

No one could give any command in The Villa that day. 

General Sani Abacha’s Chief Physician, Dr S.S. Wali aged suddenly. Same with his private Secretary, Usman Jiddah Shuwa.

General Useni was not told of General Abacha’s death until he got to The Villa that morning of June 8, 1998 and later lost control of himself. He never fully recovered. That night he lost the chance of becoming the head of State of this great country. 

At the end of June 1998, General Useni retired from the Army and was pulled out in the traditional Army way after 41 years in service. 

He was succeeded as the FCT Minister by Major General (rtd.) Mamman Kontagora (April 20, 1944- May 29, 2013) on August 22, 1998.  Finally, the remains of the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, the late Lt. General Jeremiah Timbut Useni, was laid to rest in his family’s burial ground in Telam Village, Pilgani Road Langtang, Plateau State on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

General Useni was buried beside his beloved wife, Mrs Julie Useni, and their son, Danjuma Nancwat Useni, who both tragically died in an EAS plane crash in May 2002. 

I hope his soul is resting in peace in Langtang along with the souls of General Domkat Yah Bali (Rtd.) (February 27, 1940 – December 4, 2020), Lt Gen Joshua Dogonyaro (Rtd.) (September 12, 1940 – May 14, 2021), Brigadier John Nanzip Shagaya (Rtd.) (September 2, 1942 – February 11, 2018), Major General Joe Garba (Rtd.) (July 17, 1943 – June 1, 2002), Chief Solomon Daushep Lar (July 17, 1943 – June 1, 2002) and other Langtang heroes.

General Useni was a product of military intrigue and no wonder he became a victim of military intrigue too.  And like all of us, we are all victims of military intrigue too for daily, we endure the military legacy.

Concluded.

Teniola is a former Director in the presidency.