Group Pays Tribute to Kudirat Abiola 30 Years After Assassination, Calls for Justice and National Honour

A civil society organisation, the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV), has honoured the memory of Alhaja Kudirat Olayinka Abiola, 30 years after she was assassinated, describing her as a symbol of courage and sacrifice in Nigeria’s struggle for democracy.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the group recalled that Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, was killed on June 4, 1996, by agents of the then military regime.

According to CAIDOV, she was targeted because of her role in the pro-democracy movement following the annulment of the June 12 election and the detention of her husband.

“Today marks 30 years since the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Olayinka Abiola. She was murdered by agents of the military junta for daring to stand solidly behind her husband and the democratic mandate Nigerians freely gave,” the statement read.

The organisation said Kudirat transformed grief into resistance, emerging as a leading voice for the restoration of democracy, addressing rallies and mobilising women until she was gunned down in Lagos.

Thirty years after her death, CAIDOV demanded full accountability for her assassination, insisting that those who ordered and executed the killing should be named and condemned by the state. The group also urged the government to accord her greater national recognition, including naming institutions after her and including her legacy in school curricula.

The organisation further called for stronger protection for women activists, journalists, and politicians, noting that her murder was an attack on women who challenge injustice.

Reflecting on the state of Nigeria’s democracy, CAIDOV said the issues Kudirat fought against including voter suppression and electoral violence still persist. The group urged Nigerians, particularly women and young people, to draw inspiration from her courage and commitment to democratic values.

The organisation also called on the federal and Lagos state governments to organise memorial activities befitting the national significance of her sacrifice.

“Alhaja Kudirat Olayinka Abiola did not die in vain. She stood solidly behind her husband, and today we must stand solidly behind her legacy,” the statement concluded.