General Buhari bares it all in an exclusive interview with The Sun | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Sunday 23 December 2012

General Buhari bares it all in an exclusive interview with The Sun

Buhari bares it all
•I won’t forget what IBB did to me, although I’ve forgiven him
•I’ve not forgiven Obasanjo
•My civil war experiences
•No regret shooting cocaine pushers
 It's a very long interview so be prepared..:-). See it after the cut...
 
Ever since the Supreme Court ruled on the 2011 presidential election, former Head of State and candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari, has always refused to grant an elaborate interview on his experiences and feelings.
However, on the auspicious occasion of his 70th birthday, Buhari has finally spoken. In an exclusive interview with Saturday Sun, he talked about his growing up days, experiences in the Army, his emergence as head of state when he never participated in any coup, the 1966 coup and the counter-coup, the General Ibrahim Babangida coup that swept him out of office, the execution of cocaine traffickers, Decree 4 and the controversial ‘53 suitcases’ that allegedly came into the country during his government.
He also spoke about his relationship with General Babangida, who he said he had forgiven, although he would not forget what he did to him and his plan for the 2015 elections, among others.
Excerpts:
What kind of childhood did you have?
Well, from my father’s side, we are Fulanis. You know the Fulanis are really divided into two. There are nomads, the ones that if you drive from Maiduguri and many parts of the North you will find. They are even in parts of Delta now. And there are those who settled. They are cousins and the same people actually. From my mother’s side and on her father’s side, we are Kanuris from Kukawa.
Where’s Kukawa?
Kukawa is in Borno State. We are Kanuris. On her mother’s side, we are Hausas. So, you can see I am Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri combined (he laughs). I am the 23rd child of my father. Twenty-third and the 13th on my mother side. There are only two of us remaining now; my sister and I. I went to school, primary school, in Daura and Kaduna, also a primary school, in Kachia. I also attended Kaduna Provincial Secondary School, now Government College. I didn’t work for a day. I joined the military in 1962.
You mean as a boy soldier?
No, after school certificate. There was an officer cadet school from here in Kaduna, called Nigeria Military Training College then. In April 1962, I went to the United Kingdom (UK), Mons Officers Cadet School.
You mean the famous Mons Officers…?
Yes. And when I was commissioned, I came back and I was posted to 2nd Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta. That was my first posting. The battalion was in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I went there. When I came back from there, I was first in Lagos, as Transport Officer. That was where I was till the January coup. I was posted back to my battalion and we were posted to Kaduna here. And then, there was a counter coup, civil war, coup and counter-coup. We participated. I too was overthrown and detained for more than three years. And having had that major political setback when I was made a head of state and then, ended up in detention, I went out and eventually, I decided to join party politics, participated three times and lost as presidential candidate and I am still in and fighting.
You have never given up?
Even though I said at some stage that I wouldn’t present myself for candidature again, I said I remain in party politics as long as I have breath in me.
Your Excellency, why did you join the Army?
The interest was built while I was in secondary school. The emirs of Katsina, from Dikko, were known to be interested in the military. They always have members of the military or police in their family right from World War 11. One of the emirs of Kaduna-Dikko died in Burma. And of course, everybody in the country knows General Hassan, the son of the Emir of Katsina. He was grandson of Emir Dukko. So, when General Hassan was in Sandhurst, we were in secondary school in Kaduna. His father, the Emir of Katsina, Usman Nagogo, used to ask him to go and talk to the senior students who were in form four to six, to get them interested in the military. And we were told that he deliberately wanted a military cadet unit in Kaduna Secondary School. Then, it was limited to Federal Government Colleges or Government Colleges and we had a military cadet unit, which I joined.
That was the transition?
That was where the interest started.
Did your parents object to it?
No. Well, I didn’t know my father really.
Oh! How old were you when he died?
I think I was about three, four years? I couldn’t remember his face. The only thing I could recall about my father was the horse because it threw me down. We were on the horse with one of my half brothers going to water it and then, it tripped and I fell. It stepped on me. So, that is the only impression I have of him. That is the only thing I could recall.
What of your mother?
Oh! my mother died in 1988 when I was in detention.
Ok, I remember then the controversy of allowing you to go and see her buried. Did they eventually allow you?
No.
Then it was quite an issue …
Yeah, it became an issue; so I was immediately released after she was buried.
You didn’t see her buried?
No.
It was after you were released you then went to her grave and all that?
Exactly!
What kind of childhood did you then have?
Well, you know communities then were living communal life. Clearly, I could recall I reared cattle. We had cattle; we had sheep and then, there was good neighbourhood. Not many children had the opportunity to go to school, but I went to school. I left home at the age of 10 or 11 and went to school, like I said. And I was in the boarding school for nine years. In primary school and secondary school, I was in the boarding house and from there, I went straight into the Army.
So, you have always been on your own?
In those days, there were not many schools and the teachers then were professionals. They were working teachers and were committed. And teachers then treated the children as if they were their own students. You were made to work and if you don’t, they never spared the cane really. So, I was lucky to be in the boarding school for my impressionable years, nine years. I was very lucky.
Did you play any pranks as a young person?
Oh, certainly!
What where the things you did?
(Laughs) I wouldn’t like to mention them.
Tell us some of them…
We used to raid the emir’s orchard for mangoes mainly. Of course, unfortunately we were caught and punished.
When people talk of Buhari today, they are looking at a disciplined man. Was it the boarding house that put you through that or the military? Was the boarding house part of where you got your Spartan, disciplined life?
Both did. As I told you, the teachers then treated their students as if they were their own children. So, we got the best of attention from teachers. And as I told you, they never spared the cane. You were meant to do your homework; you were meant to do the sports and clean up the environment, the compound and the area of the school and so on. And from that type of life, I moved into the military, the military of that time.
Would you say going into the military was the best thing that ever happened to you?
I think so, because from primary to secondary school and in the military, it will continue, both the academic and the physical one. I think it was so tough, but then, once it was inbuilt, it has to be sustained because you don’t contemplate failure.
You just succeed? Does it mean failure was not an option?
No. It was not.
Was it also the Fulani training of perseverance? Because when you have reared cattle, for those who have been doing it, they said it toughens you…
It did.
The sun is there, the rain and you are there with your cattle…
The period was remarkable, in the sense that those who are brought up in the city have limited space. If you are in a confined school, you learn from the school and what you see immediately. But the nomad life exposes you to nature. You will never learn enough of plants, of trees, of insects and of animals. Everyday you are learning something.
You have seen them and everyday you are learning. You will never know all of them. So, it is so vast that it takes a lot of whatever you can think of. And then, the difference again in the environment. In the Savannah, in the Sahel, after harvest, you can always see as high as your eyes can go. And then, at night when there is moon, it is fantastic. So, I enjoyed those days and they made a lasting impression in me.

What are the remarkable things you can think of during your military trainings?
Initially, from here in Kaduna, at the end of your training, the height of the field exercise was then conducted in two places. Here in southern Kaduna and somewhere in Kachia area. There was a thick belt in that forest. You go for field firing and so on. And then you go to Jos for map reading and endurance. That was why mathematics at that level, the secondary school level, geometry and algebra, were absolutely necessary. It had always been, because to be a competent officer, you may be deployed to be in charge of artillery; physics, where you help find your position. Wherever you are from, you work it on the ground in degrees and so on. You have to do some mathematics.
We were in Jos. Again, I was made a leader of a small unit. We were given a map, a compass and you dare not cheat. If you are found out, you are taken 10 miles back. So, you have to go across the country. You find your way from the map; you go to certain points and on those points, mostly hills, you climb them and you will get a box. The weather there is cold. You put your own coat and you cover it over the hills and at the end of the exercise, part of your scorecards, are those marks you won or you lost. We arrived with one compass, which led us to a certain bushy hill.
In Jos?
Yes, in Jos. And it was night, dark and it was raining lightly and definitely, our compass led us to that hill, which means there was a point there. And there were five of us: myself, one Sierra Leonean or Ghanaian, one from Sokoto, and one other. I think the other person is Katsina Alu, the former Chief Justice.
You mean he was in the military?
He was. He did the training but he was never commissioned. He went to university and did Law. I went up to the hill. I picked the box. I copied the code, and I said if I were forced to join the Army, I would have left the following day because that place, a viper or a snake or something or hyena or lion could have finished me. But I said if I run away the following day, people would say well we knew you couldn’t make it, we knew you would be lazy. But because I voluntarily joined the Army, I said I have to be there. That is one point. The second one was when I was in training in the UK. I came there and we were drilled so much and at night again, we were on an exercise. We were putting our formation. In anyway position was created, and they fired at us. We went down automatically that day and by the time the commander asked us to move, I fell asleep. It must be few seconds, not up to a minute. That was how exhausted I was.
Was it really the cold or what?
It was cold. It was 1962. It was cold and it was rainy again just like in Plateau. Just between the time we went down and to move and climb the mountain, I fell asleep. So, those two moments, I would never forget them.
Who were your classmates in the military and in the officers’ training in the UK?
Well, the late Gen. Yar’Adua. I was together with him throughout the nine years primary, secondary school and in the military.
So, you have always been colleagues…?
We were together from childhood.
Ok, that is interesting. Who else?
Well, not the ones that are here. In the military, most of them did not reach the position I reached; myself, and Yar’Adua. They couldn’t make it.
Why did you choose the infantry and not the other arms? What was the attraction?
Maybe it was the training of the cadet unit in secondary school. I found the infantry much more challenging and when we were doing the training, the Federal Government decided that we were going to have the Air Force. So, I was invited. A team came from the Ministry of Defence to interview cadets that wanted to be fighter pilots in the Air Force. I was the first to be called in our group. I appeared before them and they told me that those who could pass the interview would be recommended to go to the Air Force training either in the UK, some went to Ethiopia or United States or Germany. So, they asked me whether I wanted to be a fighter pilot and I said no. They asked why, and I said I wasn’t interested. We were given three choices. Number one, maybe you went to infantry; number two, you went to reconnaissance then before they became armour and later, maybe artillery. So, all my three choices, I could recall vividly, I put infantry, infantry. So, they said why? I said because I liked infantry. And they asked if I wouldn’t like to be a fighter pilot. I said no, I didn’t want to join them. They said why. I said I hadn’t done physics. Normally, I did some mathematics but to be a fighter pilot, you must do some physics. They said no, that it was no problem, that I could have an additional one academic year. So, since I had some mathematics background, it was just one year purely to do physics and I would reach the grade required to be a pilot. I said no, I didn’t want it. They again asked why. I told them I chose infantry. The reason is: when I am fighting and I was shot at, if I was not hit, I can go down, turn back and take off by foot. They laughed and sent me out. So, I remained infantry officer.
Where were you during the coups and counter-coups? And what rank were you in the military then?
I was in Lagos, in the barracks, as transport officer. I was only a second lieutenant.
That was during the January 15, 1966 coup?
Yes, January 15, 1966.
The coup met you in Lagos?
Yes. I think that was my saddest day in the military because I happened to know some of the senior officers that were killed. In the transport company, after the 2nd Battalion and we came back, I was posted to Lagos to be a transport officer and in my platoon, we had staff cars and Landrovers. So, I knew the Army officers, from Ironsi, Maimalari, because I detailed vehicles for them every working day. So, I knew senior officers.
So, you were in contact with them?
I was in contact with them somehow because I was in charge of transportation.
Where were you that night of January 15 coup?
I was in Lagos.
Can you recall the circumstance, how you got to know?
The way I got to know was, my routine then was as early as about six in the morning, I used to drive to the garage to make sure that all vehicles for officers, from the General Officer Commanding (GOC), who was then General Ironsi, were roadworthy and the drivers would drive off. And then, I would go back to the Officers Mess in Yaba, where I would wash, have my breakfast and come back to the office. And around the railway crossing in Yaba, coming out from the barracks, we saw a wounded soldier. I stopped because I was in a Landrover. I picked him and asked what happened. He said he was in the late Maimalari’s house and they were having a party the previous night and the place was attacked. So, I took the soldier to the military hospital in Yaba and I asked after the commander. Maimalari, I think, was commander of 2 Brigade in Apapa. He was the 2 Brigade Commander. They said he was shot and killed.
Then, you didn’t know it was a coup?
Well, that became a coup. That was the time I really learnt it was a coup.
And then there was a counter-coup of July?
Yes, July.
Where were you at this time also?
I was in Lagos again. I was still in Lagos then at Apapa at 2 Brigade Transport Company.
And then, there was ethnic colouration and all that. And at a point, they asked some of you to go back to the North. Am I correct?
Yes, because I was posted back then to the battalion. That was in Abeokuta. It was first to Ikeja Cantonment, but after the counter-coup, we were taken to Lagos by train, the whole battalion.
Did you play any role in the counter-coup?
No! Not that I will tell you.
You know at 70, you are reminiscing. You are saying it the way it is, you don’t give a damn anymore…
Well, there was a coup. That is all I can tell you. I was a unit commander and certainly, there was a breakdown of law and order. So, I was posted to a combatant unit, although 2 Brigade Transport Company was a combatant unit. You know there were administrative and combatant units and the service unit, like health, education. Even transport, there are administrative ones, but there are combatant ones also.
The question I asked was, did you play any specific role?
No. I was too junior to play any specific role. I was just a lieutenant then. In 1966, January, I was a Second Lieutenant, but I was promoted, I think, around April, May, or June to Lieutenant.
And what were your impressions of that period?
You see, senior military officers had been killed and politicians, like Sardauna, Akintola, Okotie Eboh. They were killed. And then in the military, Maimalari, Yakubu Pam, Legima, Shodeinde, and Ademolegun; so really, it had a tribal tinge.
The first one?
Yes. And then, there was a counter.
One mistake gave birth to another one?
Certainly, certainly.
And then long years of military came?
Oh yes.
From 1967-75, it was Gowon. At that point in time, where were you?
When Gowon came into power, I wonder whether I would recall where I was. It was July 1967 that Gowon came in. That was when I was in Lagos. I was again in Lagos, then in the transport company.
Then he took over?
Yeah, Gowon took over or Gowon was installed.
Well, more like you…
(Laughs) Yes.
And then in 1967?
Civil war.
So, you have to give me that part because there are some books I have read, that featured your name. So, what were your experiences during the civil war?
Well, I told you that we were parked into the rail to Kaduna from Ikeja, 2nd Infantry Battalion and when states were created by General Gowon, police action was ordered; we were moved to the border in the East. We were not in Nsukka, but in Ogoja. We started from Ogoja.
And you took active part?
Yeah. Well, I was a junior officer.
Who was your GOC then?
My GOC was the late General Shuwa.
How did you feel during that period of the civil war? Did you think that when the first coup started, that civil war would just come?
No. I never felt so and I never hoped for it. Literally, you are trained to fight a war but you are not trained to fight a war within your own country. We would rather have enemies from outside your country to defend your country, but not to fight among yourselves.
Some of those officers you were fighting were your comrades…
They were.
You knew some of them.
Some of them were even my course mates. We were facing each other, like when we were in Awka sector. The person facing me was called Bob Akonobi. We were mates here.
Robert Akonobi?
Robert Akonobi.
Who later became a governor?
Yes. He was my course mate here in Kaduna.
And there you were…
Facing each other.
It was really crazy.
It was. It was unfortunate, but it is part of our national development.
And the way we are going, you think it is a possibility again?
I don’t think so. No, I don’t think so.
After Gowon, Murtala came.
Yes.
By the time you were no longer a small officer…
No. I was just, I think, a colonel? Was it a lieutenant colonel or major? I think I was a lieutenant colonel.
But during the Obasanjo administration, you had become a minister, as it were.
No. I first became a governor when Murtala came, in North-East.
This same North East that is giving problem now.
Yes. I was there and there were six states then: Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba.
And they were all under your control or command?
North East went up to Chad; anyway, they are on the same latitude with Lagos. The bottom before you start going on the Plateau, Mambilla Plateau, if you look here on the map, the same latitude was in Lagos and then, up to Chad. That was the extent of the whole North East.
Now, some of them can’t govern even one state…
They are now six states.
I know, but you governed six states and now, some of them have problems with one state…
Yes.
What were the challenges you faced governing the North East as a military governor?
Actually, at that time, because of competent civil service… I was a military man but once you get to the rank of a lieutenant-colonel, after major, you are being taught some management courses. It needs a few weeks for somebody who has gone through the military management training, you have junior staff college, senior staff college; by that time, you will have enough experience for most administrative jobs because you must have had enough of the combat ones. I think I didn’t have much problem. And then, the competent civil servants. Civil servants then were very professional.
And not political as we have them now?
No. They were really professionals and they can disagree with you on record, on issues.
They were not afraid to make recommendations to the military governor or administrator?
No, they were never. People like the late Liman Ciroma, Waziri Fika, who was eventually Secretary to the Government of Babangida. And the late Abubakar Umar, who was Secretary to the Government of Bauchi State; and the late Moguno. They were real professionals, committed technocrats.
So, you didn’t really have much challenges?
No, not much challenges.
There was no insecurity then, like we have in the North East today?
No, the police then, with their Criminal Investigation Department (CID), were very, very competent. They interacted closely with the people. So, criminals in the locality were easily identified and put under severe surveillance. And really, there was relative peace in the country.
What were your major achievements in the North East as governor?
I think the way the state was divided into three; if you remember, it became Borno, Bauchi and Gongola. So, the way we divided the assets, including the civil service and so on, I think it was one of our achievements because it was so peaceful then. We had a committee on civil service.
And eventually you became minister of petroleum under Obasanjo?
Yes.
That was the only ministry you held under Obasanjo?
Yes.
During your time as petroleum minister, what were you doing differently that they are not doing now that has made the sector totally rotten?
Well, I was lucky again. When I was made a minister, I met an experienced man, a person of great personal integrity, the late Sunday Awoniyi. He was the permanent secretary then before the Supreme Military Council approved the merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation (NNOC) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and made Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Sunday Awoniyi was then the permanent secretary of the ministry. That was when I was sworn in eventually, I think in 1977, it became NNPC when the ministry and the NNOC were merged. He retired from the civil service. Another competent technocrat, Morinho, he became the Director of Petroleum Resources and he had a very competent team of Nigerian engineers, petroleum engineers and chemical engineers. And as minister of petroleum, I signed the contract for Warri Refinery, for Kaduna Refinery, for more than 20 depots all over the country, for laying of pipelines, more than 3200 kilometers and I couldn’t recall Nigeria borrowing a kobo for those projects. And then, by the time I became head of state, because I went to War College in the United States before the military handed over to the Second Republic and came back in 1980 and then, there was coup at the end of 1983. And that time, you can verify from Professor Tam David-West who was Minister of Petroleum Resources. We were exporting 100,000 barrels per day of refined products.
Exporting from the country?
Yes, refined one.
Refined one, not the raw one they are taking to import to…?
No.
100, 000 barrels?
Yes. Because we had four refineries then.
They have all collapsed…
Well, that is the efficiency of the subsequent governments!
You achieved so much success and all that. But there was an issue that became quite contentious: N2.8billion. They said N2.8billion oil money was missing.
It couldn’t have been missing. The governor of the Central Bank then, the late Clement Isong, said it was ridiculous, that N2.8billion couldn’t be missing because he said even the king of Saudi Arabia, couldn’t issue a cheque of N2.8billion. When you have paid your money for petroleum, they are normally put in the country’s external account and no bank will release that amount of money at a go because it was deposited. And then, at that time, Nigeria was exporting about 1.82 million barrels a day. And the cost of barrel a day was about $18. You work out N2.8billion. How could N2.8billion be missing and we still have money to run the country? So, it was just a political…
How did that issue come about? What happened and how did you feel during that period?
No, no. Shagari did the only honourable thing. He ordered a judicial enquiry and put a serving Justice of the Supreme Court, the late Justice Irikefe, to carry out investigation. And their terms of reference were put there. They said anybody who had an idea of missing N2.8billion, let him come and tell Justice Irikefe. Nobody had any evidence. It was just rubbish. Well, later, Tai Solarin and Professor Awojobi were confronted and Fela, the late Fela, to go and prove their case. They had no evidence, most of them took the newspaper cuttings of their allegations to the tribunal.
As evidence?
As their evidence…Cuttings of newspapers publications where they said N2.8billion was missing. That was their evidence. That was what they took to the Irikefe panel.
And Fela sang about it! Fela was your friend.
He couldn’t have been, because of what Obasanjo regime did to him. Because we were part of Obasanjo regime.

There is one other incident that has also been in the public domain: that Shagari gave you an order and you disobeyed your commander-in-chief. What happened then?
Which order was that?
That he gave you an instruction not to go to war against Chad or something like that?
Well, that was when I became GOC. When I came back from War College, I was in Lagos. Then, 4 Infantry Division was in Lagos, in Ikeja. I was in War College when I was posted there before General Obasanjo’s government handed over to Shagari. So, when I came, after about four months or so, I was posted to Ibadan, to command 2 Infantry Division. And after that, I was posted to Jos to command 3rd Armoured Division. It was when I was there as the GOC that the Chadians attacked some of our troops in some of the islands and killed five of them, took some military hardware and some of our soldiers. Then, I went into Army headquarters and told them then, the Chief of Army Staff then, General Wushishi, why they shouldn’t just allow a country, our neighbour to move into our territory, where we had stationed, to kill our people. So, I moved into Maiduguri, former Tactical Headquarters, and I got them out of the country. Something dramatic happened: I didn’t know I had gone beyond Chad and somehow, Shagari, in the United States, was sent pictures that I was with my troops and had gone beyond Chad, beyond Lake Chad. So, I was given direct order by the president to pull out and I did.
Oh, you did?
I did. I couldn’t have disobeyed the president. So, I handed over the division to Colonel Ogukwe, who was my course mate but was my…
He was in National Population Commission (NPC)?
I think so. Colonel Ogukwe. Yeah, he must have been. I handed over the tactical headquarters to him.
So, you never went against presidential directive?
I couldn’t have. He was the Commander-in-Chief. But maybe it was too slow for them, for me to withdraw, but you don’t disengage so quickly.
But after that, Shagari was overthrown?
Yes.
Now, they said you were invited to head the government after the coup?
Yes.
As the most senior officer?
Yes.
What really happened because it was not a Buhari coup?
No.
Could we say you never plotted a coup throughout your military career?
No. I didn’t plot a coup.
You were not a coup plotter?
No.
You were invited?
Yes.
Where were you when you were invited?
I was in Jos. They sent a jet to me flown by one of General Gowon’s younger brothers. He was a pilot. He told me that those who conducted the coup had invited me for discussion.
You went to Lagos?
I went to Lagos. I was flown to Lagos. Yes. And they said ok, those who were in charge of the coup had said that I would be the head of state. And I was.
When you made that statement that ‘this generation of Nigerians has no country other than Nigeria,’ for me it was like a JFK statement asking Americans to think of what they could do for America. Twenty months after, your same colleagues who invited you sacked you. What happened?
They changed their minds.
They changed their minds? So, what happened in between that, because part of what they said when they took over power was that you had become “too rigid, too uncompromising and arrogated knowledge of problems and solutions to yourself and your late deputy, Idiagbon. What really happened?
Well, I think you better identify those who did that and interview them so that they can tell you what happened. From my own point of view, I was the chairman of the three councils, which, by change of the constitution, were in charge of the country. They were the Supreme Military Council, the Executive Council and the National Council of State. I was the chairman of all. Maybe when you interview those who were part of the coup, they will tell you my rigidity and whether I worked outside those organs: the Supreme Military Council, the Council of State and the Council of Ministers.
Before I come to that, there was also this issue of Decree 4, alleged drug peddlers who your regime ordered shot. Looking back now, do you think you made mistake in those areas?
You see, maybe my rigidity could be traced to our insistence on the laws we made. But we decided that the laws must be obeyed.
But they said it was retroactive.
Yes, they said so. But I think it should be in the archive; we said that whoever brought in drugs and made Nigeria a transit point committed an offence. These drugs, We We (Indian hemp), is planted here, but the hard drug, cocaine, most Nigerians don’t know what cocaine is. They just made Nigeria a transit point and these people did it just to make money. You can have a certain people who grow Ashisha or We We and so on because it is indigenous. Maybe some people are even alleging that those who want to come for operation, brought the seed and started to grow it in Nigeria. But cocaine, it is alien to our people. So, those who used Nigeria as a transit, they just did it to make money. And this drug is so potent that it destroys people, especially intelligent people. So, the Supreme Military Council did a memo. Of course, I took the memo to the Supreme Military Council and made recommendation and the Supreme Military Council agreed.
There was no dissenting voice?
There was no dissenting in the sense that majority agreed that this thing, this cocaine, this hard drug was earning Nigeria so much bad name in the international community because Nigeria was not producing it, but Nigerians that wanted to make money didn’t mind destroying Nigerians and other youths in other countries just to make money. So, we didn’t need them. We didn’t need them.
But there were pleas by eminent Nigerians not to kill the three men involved in the trafficking?
Pleas, pleas; those that they destroyed did they listen to their pleas for them not to make hard drug available to destroy their children and their communities?
So, it is not something you look back now at 70 and say it was an error?
No, it was not an error. It was deliberate. I didn’t do it as an head of state by fiat. We followed our proper system and took it. If I was sure that the Supreme Military Council then, the majority of them decided that we shouldn’t have done so, we could have reduced it to long sentencing. But people who did that, they wanted money to build fantastic houses, maybe to have houses in Europe and invest. Now, when they found out that if they do it, they will get shot, then they will not live to enjoy at the expense of a lot of people that became mental and became harmful and detrimental to the society and so on, then they will think twice.
Decree 4 was what you used to gag the press?
Decree 4. You people (press), you brought in Nigeria factor into it. When people try to get job or contract and they couldn’t get it, they make a quick research and created a problem for people who refuse to do the
Source: Sun

109 comments:

Anonymous said...

too long a story, will read it after commenting first

Unknown said...

too long a story, will read it after commenting first

BLOGLORD said...

OK! I give up..
damn too long... ..
I wisy you all the best sir!

BLOGLORD said...

*wish

Anonymous said...

...Buhari is a good man. Wish he could be president and wipe out the corrupts from najia. Nigeria is NOW full of corruption...

Anonymous said...

Seriously speaking, i don't give a shit about his crap-ass history. But i guess O.B.J really nailed the guy...i dont fucking care!! *post my comment linda!*

Chikaka said...

I had to read it all as he fascinates me. OBJ has never said one bad word about Buharia and I'm surprised to read he has not forgiven him. He obviously still has misgivings about IBB. I sense some anger from him after reading this. It's Colonel Ugokwe and not Ogukwe (there's me famzing.)

Marilyn Oge(Sumtin) said...

Hmmmmm ( drinks a glass of water).... Na wa o, na assignment? Mehn linda ure strong ... Anywayz, uncle buhari, let by-gone be by-gone... Forgive, Forget and move on wit ur life Oº°˚˚°ºķ..
Marilyn oge

zsa zsa said...

Very Interesting...so there was a time we could export 1.82 million barrels per day?? we had 4 refineries and now??? i think i now understand why a lot of people including my husband were in support of Buhari's candidacy for president.

Anonymous said...

I ain't reading this shit! Dafuq?!

...straight to the comments o jare

Anonymous said...

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh!! Couldn't get past the second paragraph.

Anonymous said...

let him tell Nigerians what decree 4 he used to sent Nduka irabo to jail stands for,53 suite cases where are they?Over N2.5billion missing when he was oil minister where is it?

Anonymous said...

The first line said it all! Ever since ȋ̝̊̅§ simply history taking us back! Mtshweee if d world was suppose τ̅☺ come τ̅☺ an end na dis thing ¶ go read wit neighbour generator making a hella noise. Abegi J⌣̊⌣̊r

Unknown said...

have always love colonel Buhari! wish he was the president of naija.

Anonymous said...

I had my doubts/reservations but after reading through the interview I am more than convinced that Buhari is indeed a very "BITTER" man capable of doing anything...Zee black

Anonymous said...

Very interesting! I really wanna know what Obasanjo did to him and why he hasn't forgiven him!
All these big men swagging today came frm churchrat poverty ridden homes like Obasanjo who was a complete destitute but look what they r doing to Nigeria today!

Anonymous said...

Nigerian politicians need to learn how to be statemen. Justifying a retroactive punishment had no place in 1980 or in 2012. How about puting him to death today for his role in the civil war of 1967-70 as a retroactive punishment.
There were enough laws in the land to punish people including journalists. You never create laws to target a certain group of citizens. It never works. I used to sympathize with Buhari but he has now lost my vote

Emeka Facts said...

Long interview.But at least we now know some things about Gen. Buhari background.

Anonymous said...

Tufiakwa make I read this kain essay

Anonymous said...

Can't read ds pls...d scrolling is unending... Pls let som1 do a voice read n upload, guess it'l b a good sleeping piLls..boring stories...

Anonymous said...

Where did you get your summary of the news? I cant seems to find where Buhari said:
I won’t forget what IBB did to me, although I’ve forgiven him
•I’ve not forgiven Obasanjo

Lala said...

Interesting.....

Lala said...

Interesting.....

Anonymous said...

i read it all,,,he has really worked for nigerian(based on what i read),,i think he should be elected as d next president..

Ms Tohan. said...

Which kain long story b dis 1? U have not forgiven obasanjo, u ve forgiven Ibb, but u won't 4get, who cares?????!!!! How would who u forgive and who u don't forgive change d price of garri in the market? All dese old mehn should go and sit down jare.

Anonymous said...

So long an interview #inMariamaBa'sVoice

Anonymous said...

Finally,read it to d last letter. But why wasn't he asked about b*k*'s? Zurielle's opinion.

Anonymous said...

If na cossy boobs U go see 500 comments, ashawos, sit N read Ur complaining. Genaral I admire U but pls let d young one s grow. Liv naija politics for d fresh ones pls I beg U. Let Us rule. 2. Diamond.

Anonymous said...

Well,Buhari u will neva rule Nigeria tank God 4 dat.capital punishment is wrong,I Strongly condenm ur decision t kill drug pushers durin ur reign as Nigeria'head of state.SHikena Say so

★★PRINCE CHARMING™★★ said...

I lost my reasoning balance along the way because the story is too long, haba!!

Anonymous said...

That coup plot that had ethnic coloration is the genesis of tribalism in Nigeria. The fact that it was yorubas and hausas that were major casualties meanwhile a particlular tribes people was singled out. If everybody was killed accordingly, there will be no problem and no biafra war! Till today some people are paying dearly in the north.

Anonymous said...

Y was he not asked of d recent maiduguri election crisis where youths chanting 'sai buhari' slaughtered corps members and other innocent people? And d "Nigeria shall not know peace if I am not made president" statement, jus b4 d insurgence of d dreaded boko haram sect.

Anonymous said...

thats how they say too long of a story,but are always quick to judge general buhari,nigerians will never learn,that is the reason they make stupid choices,carry go the general of the people,buhari,nigerias next president,sai buhari,sai mai gaskiya.

Anonymous said...

A man of honour he is.

kunle said...

What a lengthy interview, so revealing and i am loving him. So committed and a try could be affirm. I wish him the best. Join my facebook page ƒor tips and techniques on having flat tummy, losing weight, maintaining shape with fitness and living healthy lifestyle. www.facebook.com/flatbellyweightlosstipsfornigeria

kxl said...

Wow, its a lovely story...read it all, wish him all the best and I so wish he become the president of this country by 2015, I did vote for him in 2011 cus I believe in him and I will do so if he contest in 2015...but linda I think the story is not complete..kxl

Anonymous said...

dis is nonsense, tnk God he said he is not contesting again,nomadic baboon.linda if u like dnt post my coment......SIC

Anonymous said...

Long live to you sir!you are a humble leader,bt so many corrupt leaders detest you.

Unknown said...

Buhari ur evil,ur story was intrestin but it can not convince me dat ur not evil

Unknown said...

Buhari ur story was intrestin bt I can not convince me dat ur not evil.ur deadly man

Anonymous said...

See them ... An in-depth insight into the mind of Nigerias best leader and you shallow minded dullards say its too long ... but if Linda puts a picture of prick or Cossies boobs, you dunses will have done 200 comments by now ... hopeless hopeless generation.

Ob_mmx said...

Interesting story, but I think the General was holding back some details especially as it concerns the coups. I recommend that all this elders should have their personal memos or diaries containing the truth so that when they are gone we can see for ourselves and the motives why they did what they did. Instead of insulting our with all this rubbish.

Anonymous said...

Dis dude has clearly been carryin vengeance n hatred in his heart all dis while... Bokoharam...I'm certain he knws its Father n mother

Anonymous said...

Not making sense

shawntee said...

Where is the remaining??????

Anonymous said...

Someburry pls summarise

Anonymous said...

Buhari is a real man of honor...can't wait to vote for you 2015

Anonymous said...

Interesting.but he didn't speak abt obasanjo en ibb here o.en he didn't say why he want to rule this country at 73.he also didn't speak abt his involvement wit boko haram.Or linda is there a part two. Abeg post d concluding part!Bia

Anonymous said...

Interesting story, reading it with so much enthusiasm. I like this man but too old to be my president.

Anonymous said...

I read it,linda its not complete na!

Anonymous said...

Linda it is not complete na........ very interesting

omotayo said...

Linda am sure u didn't read or type you. Sure it was copy and paste. What does Buhari ve 2 say than all we've been hearing, make dem go sit down abeg. He who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Bored with their names and stories. Can't read the story, make I go read better gist.

SPY said...

the best president Nigeria would probably never have.

Anonymous said...

Although it is long you should all read it. Different leaders are needed for different times. I pray and hope Nigerian's will have perspective and elect the leader we need right now to come into power the upcoming election. Inflation is too high. How can the food we grow cost the same in our markets as countries who import them.....

Anonymous said...

I read it all. Quite an interesting history. Buhari don old sha. I wonder how nigeria was then. Thank God I wasn't born then.

cynosure said...

Read it all! Tnk God he granted d interview, I jus hope he was being truthful, buh Linda dis isn't all na

SPY said...

"The bottom before you start going on the Plateau, Mambilla Plateau, if you look here on the map, the same latitude was in Lagos and then, up to Chad. That was the extent of the whole North East.
Now, some of them can’t govern even one state…
They are now six states.
I know, but you governed six states and now, some of them have problems with one state…
Yes."
"I signed the contract for Warri Refinery, for Kaduna Refinery, for more than 20 depots all over the country, for laying of pipelines, more than 3200 kilometers and I couldn’t recall Nigeria borrowing a kobo for those projects."
"100, 000 barrels?
Yes. Because we had four refineries then.
They have all collapsed…"

And for the drug issue; i don't think that is an issue really they had it coming.
Nigeria has sunk to an all time low! I just admire all what this man stands for.

Anonymous said...

D interview is interesting

Anonymous said...

history brought afresh...true stories elucidated..I totally love this..

Anonymous said...

why do some stupid people call buhari boko-haram?ignorance,as for those saying he is too old,when nelson mandela became president of south africa at 72,did you all not praise and worship him?mumu nigerians,vote buhari come 2015 period.

Sasha Fierce! said...

All your people saying 'Too long a story'....am sure none of you were born when this great man was a our military ruler.
People like you perish for lack of knowledge and history.Nobody reads anymore......
I am Ibo by tribe. General Buhari and Idiagbon were the best thing to have ever happened to Nigeria.I was a little kid then,and life was beautiful....so much law and order across all echelons of government.And people could afford the basic needs.That was when you could be proud to call yourself a Nigerian.There was no urge to want to flee the country for greener pastures...Our money was strong,and you could actually walk around with pride.
If Buhari had ruled for 8 years,Nigerians would have enshrined respect for the law by now and would have built a democracy that is enshrined in the rule of law. I admire and respect this man's courage....He is the type of leader we need, for Nigeria to move forward.
Happy Birthday Sir.

Anonymous said...

I love dis: I said no, I didn’t want it. They again asked why. I told them I chose infantry. The reason is: when I am fighting and I was shot at, if I was not hit, I can go down, turn back and take off by foot. They laughed and sent me out. So, I remained infantry officer.If

Anonymous said...

I felt insulted and defended my country when a new yorker said to me "if you want to hide the truth from a black man,hide it in a book"...reading the first 2 comments and many more to follow I'm sure made me sigh with resignation...come on,this is part of our political history,be patient to read thru it and learn from its mistakes so the.The youths r d leaders of today not tommorrow as we make them believe
Sira Teeh.

BONARIO NNAGS said...

Am not against Buhari's stand,as it pertains d state of d nation. But who told him that there are no other young and sincere Nigerians that can do d job,I suggest he plays the role of an elder statesman,grooming young leaders,instead of troubling himself in every election.
Complments of d season lovely LIBERS

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310

Anonymous said...

O ti poju...dis stories won't help d present situation of Nija

Anonymous said...

I read al...we can't trust him, its his own part of d story. He sounded 2 bitter n wats revenge 4wateva course. Didn't he say 'Nigeria wld kno no peace until he is re-elected president? Abeg mk he go siddon jare...(Its ma 1st tym Linda)

Anonymous said...

O ti poju...dis stories won't help d present situation of Nija

Anonymous said...

Well said..

Anonymous said...

Long interview with plenty of irrelevant information. But don't forget Buhari was a good president. That said, this man needs to retire to a quiet life now- he has earned it and he needs to forgive and move now. True forgiveness means forgetting the wrongs done to you!

Anonymous said...

Very hopeless, just imagine!good talk.

Anonymous said...

General Buhari,true u might be a principled man,but indeed a very very bitter man.The likes of you in Europe should be on pension and resting.What do you still want with power ????Helmut Schmidt of Germany is an old and respected elder statesman,Thatcher of Great Britain,The Bush's,Clinton of the USA....Buhari,Obasanjo,IBB,Danjuma,Anenih,all old politicians sucking our blood and hell-bent on destroying Nigeria should die off and let us be.Let the Obama and Cameron in the average young and talented Nigeria come to surface.In the western world here.Nigerians in Diaspora are doing so well and we can't contribute back home.Why are u oldies destroying us???.I keep hearing the future belongs to the youth,but never in Nigeria.Look at Jonathan...a white classmate of mine actually asked me if dat moron was d best we could produce as a president?He actually boasted that he was smarter and more intelligent than Jonathan.And you know what?He merely said the truth.Pray,tell...how does a country governed by a moron with hovering old and bitter politicians like Buhari move forward.General Buhari,I would sincerely advise u to pick ur wife and retire in a island somewhere and live a relaxed stress free lifeThat's what Old men ur age do.

Anonymous said...

Good points stated here,am glad I read d interview..Spy thumbs up!

Anonymous said...

Well written,thumbs up...

Anonymous said...

Happy bday sir!

Anonymous said...

Happy bday sir!

Anonymous said...

One thing that Nigerians failed to realize is that Nigeria economy had turned to misery one b4 general Buhari and Idiagbon took over from Shagari and they turned things around within a few months. They were overthrown due the fact that they did not dance to their tune of corruptible Gov. and Babangida was chosen by the same set of people recommended Buhari to achieve their aim.

Anonymous said...

Good points stated here,am glad I read d interview..Spy thumbs up!happy birthday sir..

Anonymous said...

Even Linda did not read this. I have gone through the whole stuff, can't find where he said sth about forgiving or not forgiving obj.

Enkaydewdrop said...

Aunty Linda, please check your mail na...
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease?
Thank you...

Anonymous said...

He was once a President / Military Commander or whatever they called him and part of our problem or our historic barawo rulers, so pleeeeeaaaassseeeee

The Duke said...

Colonel...really??Ur ass ought to be court-martialled,it's General to you muppet!!

The Duke said...

Go to www.sunnewsonline.com for the full story,very compelling i must say;a must read.

Olu said...

I had to force myself to read the whole irrelevant and highly uncalled for 'essay' on this holier than thou Boko Haram 'General'. This same General instructed his foot soldiers to kill southern Nigerian youth corpers during the last election because he lost the election? Now he wants to come back to seek our votes. Nobody in his or her senses should vote for this murderer. He has been losing all the elections and he will lose again if he decides to contest. It is because we, southern Nigerians are easy to forgive and forget that murderers and evil people like this are walking southern Nigeria unchallenged while our own people are being killed everyday in the North.Imagine you training your kids up to university level and murderers like this man will come and kill your children because they lost elections. Cant he do something else apart from ruling Nigeria? Born-to-plan-coups-and-loot Generals.Now he wants our votes. He will lose and this time we should all prepare for all the havoc his foot soldiers will do after losing. Up till today, i still remember some of the youth corpers that were killed by this Boko haram terrorist with 'BORN-TO -RULE mentality walking around as if he is a state man.If truly you are a state man, would you kill innocent young Nigerians because you lost a free and fair election.Even 'Ashiwaju' said it was free and fair. Judgement day is definitely coming for this murderer. It will come.There is no how the death of those youth corpers will be wished away.That i know of. The vulture is a patient bird.
Olu.

Capo de tutti said...

There-in lies the problem with present and future Nigeria...i worry more about Nigeria in the hands of the youths tomorrow than i do about d present crop of inept leaders.

Capo de tutti said...

Thank you for your very wise words,wishing you a truly happy birthday good Sir!

Anonymous said...

The General can not rule Nigeria alone even with his "supposed good intentions", he has explained that the civil service at the time he was a military leader were professionals, Sir if you are elected now how many of them will you sack - the whole lot - i guess which is not possible in a democracy personally I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU CAN DO BETTER FOR NIGERIA! and you definitely are not a democrat otherwise you will understand the politics Obasanjo played for you and leave it at that not to say you have not forgiven him, politics is a dirty game weather in Nigeria or America, leave the stage for younger peopple and advise.

Capo de tutti said...

No,he never said so...why not do a little bit of research in to who said what,it's not rocket science.The information's readily available so a little application of brain power shd help u decipher fact from fiction.

Anonymous said...

Read everything but didn't see where he said he'll never forgive obasanjo

Adeagbo Kabir said...

What is too much in the story? Nigerians need to develop interest in reading. Let's endeavour to read history, so that we would be able to identify our problems, tackle it and get a lasting solution. However, Buhari really mean well for Nigeria, take it or leave it.

Anonymous said...

D face of bitterness

Anonymous said...

Reading thru the 1-80 comments. I cannot help but to be discouraged with the future of Nigeria as country or the different countries that will be formed from the disintegration of Nigeria. Our past and present leaders have been clueless to some degree. If any of those who think this is too long to read or those with negative comments after reading should become a leader,it means we don hug transformer. Damn!! No future going by this people. And you have the guts to comment that its too long. Shut the fuck up and leave if u cant read it. Arrrgh. I feel like smashing some folks brain like a cricket.

Chichi Taichi Okere said...

@ Linda,i see u even chose a different picture from the one used by sun news to drive home ur point.How sad,how very sad indeed!

Anonymous said...

She edited that part out to perpetrate her hate for the General,he actually laughed when he talked about Obj.Read the whole thing on www.sunnewsonline.com

Olu-omo of d source said...

God sparing his life,all he needs're the votes of well-meaning discerning Nigerians of which your comment makes abundantly clear you're not one of.

Anonymous said...

Several decades after Gen Buhari instigated the state sanctioned murder of drug peddlers based on retroactive legislation, he should have had a sufficient amount of time to reflect on his actions and to consider whether or not he may have been mistaken on that occasion.

He comes across as someone who holds firmly to his own views no matter the consequences. This is what ultimately made him a poor leader. He has neither the intellectual capacity nor the courage to consider that his actions were wrong. This implies a lack of the fundamental reasoning power inherent in great leaders.

E_uk said...

All u Lazy readers on LIB,am totally dissapointed in ya'll.(Smh)Very interesting read.*smiling* I admire dis man too much.his growing up years,beautiful tales.A once dilligent and versatile Ruler. Wish our 2day Nigeria can have a younger version of his once same ruling spirit.

E_uk said...

If it's to comment on Prick and toto issues, una go dey smart up 'n down here.......hissssssss. Dullards,wonder how ur offsprings will be intelligent 2mro wen u can't even read a 1minute article.long dry hissssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Haba,what is long in this story.?this is an evidence of laziness on the part of many.Peoples inability to be patient and undergo strenuous activity.Then ,lack of reading culture.it is from this type of piece we could gather stage by stage information on the problem with Nigeria to enable us craft out better ways of Going On With One Nigeria .Good or bad some lessons have been leant.weldon our great General for being so articulate and granting such interview @ 70 .









Anonymous said...

Well, for Buhari. If God said you will be there,you will be there it is not by phiscal strenght,

Anonymous said...

Ode...people like you perish for.lack of knowledge

Anonymous said...

I kind of like Buhari but d truth is u are old,let d young ones rule,I tink he just wanna come back so dat he can get back to some pple like he said he hasn't forgivn OBJ...it wud be better if dis long essay was summarize

Chim said...

Linda, u didn't add d interesting part of d interview na. Finish wot u started pls

Anonymous said...

and then what?

Anonymous said...

I cudnt help bt agree with u. Dia is no denying d fact dat Buhari is a disciplined man, bt as touching religious issues he is a bloody fanatic who cn do anytin to satisfy his followers.
If evry middle-belter & southerner wd undastnd dat it's tym to tk our destinies in our hands d likes of Buhari wd nt b taking us for grantd. Oftn tyms we gv dem d room to operate & manipulate demselvs into power. It's tym to resist any boko-haramist frm getting close to power again in d name of 1 Nigeria & if Nigeria wd continue to exist.
Wht hv dey to offer & wht hv dey bn offering for d unity of Nigeria - born-to-rule mentality, arrogance, gross falsification of demographic data, looting mentality, backwardness, illiteracy, diseases, coup d'etat, religious killings, blood letting, wanton destruction of lives & ppties?
It's a matter of time, no matter hw long it takes...

Anonymous said...

from d coment am reading here from d so called leader of tomorrow from this column, i can't just imagine how d Nigeria of tomorrow will look like. i pray GOD help dis country with our selfish blind rhetorotic mind of reasoning and thinking on wat is gud and bad.

Anonymous said...

Dude,

Your 15 minutes in the sun is gone.
ain't coming back. You got in by force, and was taken out by force and we don't miss you.
Stay gone and leave us alone

Pope said...

Wrong caption for the story. Did't see wat OBJ and IBB did to him dat relates to that heading. I won't forgive... I will fogive but won't forget

Anonymous said...

Foolish Nigerians! Dunces! Because yall evil minded thats why you'll always get a GEJ instead of a Buhari. Just relax and watch what Jonathan and his crew have in store for you monkeys between now and mid-2014--- ISpiksDaTroof

Unknown said...

4 d bloggers who couldn't read the story 2 the end ..*sighs* I must confess my self ...DISAPPOINTED . But then again Gen.Buhari has had his time though short but memorable ..he should retire from active politics and may be play golf,though I total admire the DECREE 4 action Naija would have been a better place if it had continued, GHANA sef benefit from such an action

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