Shehu Sani Recounts Saving Obasanjo From Inmate Assault in 1995 Prison Incident

Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Shehu Sani, recounted an incident on Thursday where he intervened to prevent former President Olusegun Obasanjo from being assaulted by inmates at Kirikiri Maximum Security prison in 1995.

During a lecture in Abuja, Sani, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), shared details of his experience alongside Obasanjo and late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua during their imprisonment under the military regime of Sani Abacha.

Sani recalled how upon their transfer to Kirikiri prison after being arrested for activism, Obasanjo faced hostility from other inmates, whom Sani described as “armed robbers.” They reportedly shouted insults at Obasanjo upon his arrival.

Speaking about the incident, Sani explained that despite the grievances some inmates had towards Obasanjo, he intervened and appealed for calm, emphasizing that despite his former status as a commander, within the prison walls, they were all equals.

“In 1995, a team of soldiers, policemen, and DSS visited my house in Kaduna. It was a journey that began and lasted for four years,” Sani recounted, reflecting on the events leading to their imprisonment and subsequent transfer to different prisons across Nigeria.

He further detailed the circumstances of their imprisonment, mentioning that they were treated differently upon arrival at Kirikiri, with Sani himself receiving handcuffs while Obasanjo and Yar’Adua did not.

Sani, who was then the deputy chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, a pro-democracy group, also mentioned his subsequent transfer to Port Harcourt prison, where he witnessed the controversial hanging of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

The lecture provided a platform for Sani to revisit the tumultuous era of military rule in Nigeria and share personal anecdotes of resilience and activism during a challenging period in the country’s history.