During General Sani Abacha’s dark days, Pa Abraham Adesanya served as the deputy leader of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a group that vigorously opposed Abacha’s despotic government alongside Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Some members of the infamous assassination gang of the military dictator attacked Pa Adesanya on Tuesday, January 14, 1997, and showered his car with gunfire. Fortunately, neither he nor his driver were hurt. He was given the nickname “Apa maku” (killed but not killed) as a result of this incident.
According to a member of the Awoist organization, Pa Abraham Adesanya was hit by multiple gunshots, but none of them entered his body. Over 40 rounds were reportedly fired at his vehicle. Pa Adesanya, who was seventy-four when the attack occurred, lived through the assassination.