Obasanjo Reveals Why He Rejected US Asylum Before Abacha’s Arrest

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained why he turned down an offer of political asylum from the United States despite warnings that he would be arrested if he returned to Nigeria during the military government of the late General Sani Abacha.

The former Nigerian leader also recalled how he moved into farming after leaving the Nigerian Army at the age of 42, saying the business was doing well before the Abacha administration arrested him.

Obasanjo made the disclosures during an interview published by BBC News Pidgin on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, where he spoke about his experience under military rule.

He explained that he had not planned to leave the army so early but had reached the highest position possible in the military after becoming a four-star general and serving as military Head of State.

According to him, there was little else he could achieve in the army after occupying the country’s highest military and political offices at the time.

He said he therefore decided to focus on agriculture after his retirement, adding that his farming business was making progress until the Abacha government began targeting him.

The former president disclosed that the American ambassador to Nigeria contacted him while he was travelling and informed him that the US government had offered him political asylum.

The offer came with a warning that he could face arrest if he returned to Nigeria because of the political situation under Abacha.

However, Obasanjo said he refused the offer because he believed he had committed no offence that could justify his arrest and did not see any reason to seek protection outside the country.

He further explained that his passport was later seized when he returned to Nigeria, forcing him to continue his journey to his farm.

On arriving at the farm, one of his security personnel stopped him and informed him that government security operatives had surrounded the property.

Obasanjo said a police officer in civilian clothing later approached him and claimed that an Assistant Inspector-General of Police had invited him to assist with something.

He rejected the officer’s explanation, insisting that if the police chief needed his assistance, he should come to the farm personally rather than send someone to invite him.

The former president said he eventually used his own vehicle to drive to the police station, where the AIG informed him that he had received instructions to arrest him.

Obasanjo also recalled that former United States President Jimmy Carter intervened in his case by appealing to Abacha to reconsider the treatment being given to him.

He said Carter’s intervention initially led to his transfer to house arrest after he had been kept at an undisclosed location.

However, the situation later changed when security operatives arrived at night while he was playing squash.

According to Obasanjo, the operatives came around 1am and informed him that he was being taken away.

He said he was subsequently moved from the location to prison, marking another stage in his experience under Abacha’s military government.