Return of the dragons

How we were arrested, our plane grounded, in
Kano – Amaechi

The Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, on
Monday recounted his ordeal and those of his
colleagues in Kano on Sunday after a former
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido
Sanusi, was named the new emir of the powerful
Kano emirate.
Mr. Amaechi and a few other dignitaries were in
Kano to pay condolence visits to the Kano state
government over the death of Emir Ado Bayero.
But sources also said Mr. Amaechi and a few
other chieftains of the opposition All Progressives
Congress also poured into Kano after receiving
intelligence that some northern traditional rulers
sympathetic to the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, were putting pressure on the
kingmakers and Governor Rabiu Kwankawaso to
overlook Mr. Sanusi and appoint his rival to the
coveted throne.
Responding to a PREMIUM TIMES enquiry on
Monday morning, Mr. Amaechi said after visiting
Governor Kwankwaso, he, along with other
dignitaries, made for the Aminu Kano Airport where
his chartered aircraft was parked.
He said immediately his team entered the airport
buildings preparatory to boarding the plane back to
Abuja, authorities locked all the doors to the
complex, holding him and his colleagues hostage.
The plane was also impounded, he said.
“The Kano governor called the airport commandant
that we should at least be allowed to leave the
building but the commandant refused saying he
had an order from above not to let us out,” the
governor said. “We had to force one of the doors
open to get away.”
He said after they escaped from the airport, the
team devised a means of hurrying out of Kano for
fear they might be attacked by thugs sponsored by
the federal government.
“So we quickly got a car, bought fuel and started
driving towards Abuja. We sold a dummy to the
airport people and a few others that we were
returning to the Kano Government House. The
governor was also expecting us. But we were far
gone. I personally drove the car and all of us had
to switch off our phones so no one would know
our whereabouts.
“I drove for five hours and we arrived Abuja at 2
a.m. We were not afraid of armed robbers or
anyone attacking us on the road. We were only
afraid that the authorities could plant people on the
road to waylay and attack us. But thank God we
arrived safe.
In the car Mr. Amaechi drove from Kano to Abuja
were a former governor of Gombe state, now
Senator Danjuma Goje, a former governor of Kwara
state, now Senator Shaaba Lafiagi, and a former
Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Abubakar Baraje.
“I have been shouting that we are in a dictatorship,
people thought I’m joking or exaggerating,” Mr.
Amaechi said. “At least we can all see what is
playing out.”