Sanusi: Why Abacha locked me up in Sokoto prison

By our reporter/ The former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11, has explained why he was locked up in Sokoto prison by late Nigerian dictator, General Sani Abacha.

Sanusi who made the disclosure on Tuesday in Lagos at the unveiling of his book entitled, ‘For the Good of The Nation’. The book, a collection of essays and perspectives, was unveiled to mark his 60th birthday and to raise funds for girl-child education, said he was accused of being a threat to national security at the time.

“Not many people know that between June 1995 and June 1996, I was in Sokoto prison as a threat to national security under General Abacha,” he said.

“Many of the articles in this book started after that experiment.”

The former governor of the country’s apex bank also condemned the calls by secessionists for the break-up of Nigeria.

According to him, those seeking to break up the country do not know what they are talking about.

“I hope that my story and the story of many of us here is one that we will use to continue stressing that those who say they want to break up this country do not know what they are talking about,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“We have to keep this country together and if we complain about it, it is because we love Nigeria and hopefully we will not just complain.

“Hopefully we will join hands together with those who are in this very difficult path to make Nigeria great. I honestly do not know what you are looking for, seeking the country to secede.”

Sanusi further stated that the country cannot keep subsidising petrol.

“Nigerians have to understand that the way we have run the state is unsustainable; we cannot continue subsidising fuel, we cannot continue subsidising power, look at other West African countries,” he said.

“It is desirable, but it is not sustainable and we have to be ready to make certain sacrifices.

“We have already made many but if we don’t make those sacrifices now to set the fiscal position of the government in order, so that we are not relying on excessive oil, we are placing the future of this country in jeopardy.”