Ex-Akwa Ibom Governor, Abbe, Dies at 74 in Abuja
Former military Governor of Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, Major General Godwin Osagie Abbe (Rtd.), has passed away at 74. The retired army officer, who served as Minister of Defence and Interior during the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, died on Saturday in Abuja after a prolonged illness.
Born on January 10, 1949, Abbe would have turned 75 in January 2025. His career spanned both military and civil service, leaving an indelible mark on Nigeria’s defence and policy landscape.
Abbe governed Akwa Ibom State between July 31, 1988, and September 5, 1990, before moving to Rivers State, where he served as Governor from August 1990 to January 1992. His tenure as Minister of Defence and Interior from 2007 to 2009 saw him play pivotal roles in national security under the Yar’Adua administration.
An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations, Abbe was also trained at the United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia, the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College, and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
During his illustrious military career, he rose to the rank of General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, and served as Commander of both the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and the National War College. He retired in 1999 as a Major General.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart leaves behind a legacy of service, both as a military officer and a statesman.
