Lawan Gwadabe
Encyclopedia
Colonel Lawan Gwadabe was Military Administrator of Niger State
in Nigeria
from December 1987 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida
.
He was accused of planning a coup against General Sani Abacha
in 1995, for which he was jailed, tortured and convicted of treason.
After Abacha's death he was granted a state pardon.
, Plateau State
, where he was brought up. His father was a Muslim of Yoruba
origin from Niger State.
Major Gwabade was involved in the coup of 27 August 1985, having just returned to 245 Recce Battalion (where he had previously been the Commanding Officer) from a course at the US Armour School, Fort Knox. He was one of the junior officers assigned the job of arresting the head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari
, which they achieved without difficulty, replacing him with General Ibrahim Babangida
.
After the coup, Gwadabe was appointed Chairman of the Nigerian National Shipping Line
.
He was also Special Presidential Envoy and Chairman of the Sudan Peace Conference (1986–1990) and Special Presidential Envoy for Peace in Angola and Mozambique (1989–1990).
Babangida appointed Gwabade Governor of Niger State in December 1987.
During his tenure he had to cope with a severe outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis, which was countered with an emergency mass-vaccination.
At the start of the Nigerian Third Republic
in January 1992, he handed over to the elected civilian governor Musa Inuwa
.
Unuwa had been Commissioner for Health in Niger State, and was relieved of his position by Gwadabe so he could run for office.
On 17 November 1993, escorted by a detachment of the National Guards under Colonel Gwadabe, three senior army officers arrested Ernest Shonekan
, the interim civilian president of Nigeria who had been appointed by General Ibrahim Babangida
. The coup led to the assumption of power by General Sani Abacha
.
Gwadabe served as Chief of Staff of the Gambian Army, succeeding Brigadier Abubakar Dada.
On his return to Nigeria after the July 1994 Yahya Jammeh
coup in Gambia, he was briefly Principal Staff Officer to General Sani Abacha
before being appointed commander of 23 Armored Brigade in Yola
.
On 1 March 1995 he was arrested on a charge of plotting a coup against the Abacha government, and was jailed, tortured and later convicted of treason along with others. He was on death row when Abacha died unexpectedly in June 1998.
Years later, Abacha's chief of staff Lt-Gen. Oladipo Diya
said that he considered that the claimed coup plot was non-existent.
.
In June 2009, President Umaru Yar'Adua granted Gwadabe and others a full pardon.
In 2004, he was a leading member of the Kaduna Discussion Group, aligned with former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida
.
As a board member of MTS First Wireless, in January 2005 Gwadabe alleged that the chairman had been involved in fraudulent allocation of shares and misdeeds in importation of telecommunications equipment.
Gwadabe was among leaders who, in 2005, were encouraging General Ibrahim Babangida to contest the 2007 presidential election.
Gwadabe became a member of the board of several companies, including U2 communications Africa and North Eastern Capital. He became CEO of Seeds Project Company and Chairman of North Eastern Integrated Oil services Ltd. His business interests include Oil and Gas, Leisure and Hospitality services.
In February 2009 Gwabade was appointed chairman of the board of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
In August 2009 he announced that 22 ambulances were being deployed in the Federal Capital Territory to assist accident victims.
Niger State
Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.The state is named...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from December 1987 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
.
He was accused of planning a coup against General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
in 1995, for which he was jailed, tortured and convicted of treason.
After Abacha's death he was granted a state pardon.
Background and early military career
Gwabade was born in 1949 in JosJos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
, Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
, where he was brought up. His father was a Muslim of Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
origin from Niger State.
Major Gwabade was involved in the coup of 27 August 1985, having just returned to 245 Recce Battalion (where he had previously been the Commanding Officer) from a course at the US Armour School, Fort Knox. He was one of the junior officers assigned the job of arresting the head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
, which they achieved without difficulty, replacing him with General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
.
After the coup, Gwadabe was appointed Chairman of the Nigerian National Shipping Line
Nigerian National Shipping Line
The Nigerian National Shipping Line was established by the Nigerian government in 1959.Despite heavy investment and subsidies, the state-owned company was unable to compete with European lines....
.
He was also Special Presidential Envoy and Chairman of the Sudan Peace Conference (1986–1990) and Special Presidential Envoy for Peace in Angola and Mozambique (1989–1990).
Babangida appointed Gwabade Governor of Niger State in December 1987.
During his tenure he had to cope with a severe outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis, which was countered with an emergency mass-vaccination.
At the start of the Nigerian Third Republic
Nigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
in January 1992, he handed over to the elected civilian governor Musa Inuwa
Musa Inuwa
Dr. Musa Inuwa was governor of Niger State in Nigeria from January 1992 to November 1993, elected as a member of the National Republican Convention...
.
Unuwa had been Commissioner for Health in Niger State, and was relieved of his position by Gwadabe so he could run for office.
Sani Abacha period
Gwadabe was appointed Commander of the National Guards.On 17 November 1993, escorted by a detachment of the National Guards under Colonel Gwadabe, three senior army officers arrested Ernest Shonekan
Ernest Shonekan
Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan is a British trained Nigerian lawyer, industrialist, politician and traditional chieftain. He was appointed as interim president of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Babangida on 26 August 1993. Babangida resigned under pressure to cede control to a democratic government...
, the interim civilian president of Nigeria who had been appointed by General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
. The coup led to the assumption of power by General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
.
Gwadabe served as Chief of Staff of the Gambian Army, succeeding Brigadier Abubakar Dada.
On his return to Nigeria after the July 1994 Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
coup in Gambia, he was briefly Principal Staff Officer to General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
before being appointed commander of 23 Armored Brigade in Yola
Yola, Nigeria
Yola is the capital city and administrative center of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Located on the Benue River, it has a population of 88,500 . Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken by the British in 1901. Daytime temperatures can easily exceed during the dry...
.
On 1 March 1995 he was arrested on a charge of plotting a coup against the Abacha government, and was jailed, tortured and later convicted of treason along with others. He was on death row when Abacha died unexpectedly in June 1998.
Years later, Abacha's chief of staff Lt-Gen. Oladipo Diya
Oladipo Diya
Donaldson Oladipo Diya is a retired Lt. General in the Nigerian Army.He was appointed Military Governor of Ogun State from January 1984 to August 1985....
said that he considered that the claimed coup plot was non-existent.
Later career
In March 1999 the outgoing military government granted a state pardon to Gwadabe and others accused of plotting coups again General Sani AbachaSani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
.
In June 2009, President Umaru Yar'Adua granted Gwadabe and others a full pardon.
In 2004, he was a leading member of the Kaduna Discussion Group, aligned with former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
.
As a board member of MTS First Wireless, in January 2005 Gwadabe alleged that the chairman had been involved in fraudulent allocation of shares and misdeeds in importation of telecommunications equipment.
Gwadabe was among leaders who, in 2005, were encouraging General Ibrahim Babangida to contest the 2007 presidential election.
Gwadabe became a member of the board of several companies, including U2 communications Africa and North Eastern Capital. He became CEO of Seeds Project Company and Chairman of North Eastern Integrated Oil services Ltd. His business interests include Oil and Gas, Leisure and Hospitality services.
In February 2009 Gwabade was appointed chairman of the board of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
In August 2009 he announced that 22 ambulances were being deployed in the Federal Capital Territory to assist accident victims.