Abdulsalami: Maitama Sule Told Me to Arrest Him after 1983 Coup

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) yesterday revealed that the late Danmasani Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, submitted himself for arrest immediately after the 1983 coup in which many politicians in the country were arrested.

Abdulsalami disclosed this in Kano when he paid a condolence visit to the Government House on behalf of himself and former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
He recalled that after the 1983 coup as the Brigade Commander, many politicians in the state were arrested except the late Danmasanin Kano.

“I was at my office and Danmasani came with his luggage. He looked at me and said ‘why should you leave me alone while you have arrested all my associates. I want you to arrest me too and unite me with my fellow politicians in Lagos’. So you see the kind of struggle by people like the late Danmasani in order to unite Nigeria.
“We have indeed lost an irreplaceable lacuna. We call on Nigerians to pray hard for the repose of his soul,” Abdulsalami.

He also said the former Nigerian president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida sent his condolence messages on the death of Sule.
Abdulsalami said Babangida could not come to Kano on health grounds.
“You know the health condition of Babangida; that is why he has sent his condolence message through me. He condoles with you, the governor, the family of the deceased and the entire people of Kano State,” he said
He called on politicians to emulate the virtues of the late Danmasani in order to develop the country.

In his remarks, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje extolled the virtues of the late former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, advising all the past and present Nigerian leaders to emulate him.