BREAKING: Ex-Akwa Ibom Governor Godwin Abbe passes on at 74

General Godwin Osagie Abbe, a former Minister of Defence and Interior during the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, has died at the age of 74.

The retired Major General passed away on Saturday in Abuja after a prolonged illness.

Abbe, who was born on January 10, 1949, was set to celebrate his 75th birthday in 2025. A distinguished military officer and politician, he served as the Military Governor of Akwa Ibom State (1988–1990) and Rivers State (1990–1992).

An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations, Abbe also trained at prestigious institutions including the United States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning; Ghana Armed Forces Staff College; and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

During his military career, he held key positions such as General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army; Commander of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC); and Commander at the National War College. He retired from the Nigerian Army in 1999 with the rank of Major General.

Abbe, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), served as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence from 2007 to 2009 and as Minister of Interior during the same administration.