Obasanjo: Why I turned down US asylum and accepted prison at home

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he turned down US political asylum under Abacha’s regime and went home to Nigeria, where he was arrested and jailed.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said he turned down an offer of political asylum from the United States, despite warnings that he would be arrested if he returned to Nigeria under the late military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Obasanjo made the disclosure in a video published on Tuesday by The Nation.

He said the American ambassador in Nigeria told him of the offer while he was travelling.

“This was difficult for me. I don’t— I haven’t done anything. What do they want to arrest me for? Um, I don’t want political asylum,” he said.

Obasanjo returned home and was arrested. He said former US President Jimmy Carter’s appeal to Abacha led to his house arrest before he was taken to prison.

“They came and said they were taking me away. And they took me away, and from there, I went to prison,” he said.

He was released after Abacha’s death in June 1998 and won the presidency in 1999.