Nigeria Still Haunted by 1966 Coup, Says Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said that Nigeria is yet to recover from the assassination of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and other leaders during the 1966 military coup.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Sani described Bello’s murder and that of others as the “seed of evil” that continues to plague the country.

He highlighted Bello’s selfless service to his people and the nation, noting that the former Premier of Northern Nigeria died a materially poor man.

“For those of us in Kaduna, where the Late Premier of Northern Nigeria lived, led, and was brutally murdered, we couldn’t yet find any house, vehicle, or company traced to his name or any of his family members,” Sani stated.

He recounted that after Bello’s assassination, his personal belongings were transported to his family home in Sokoto.

“The late Sardauna did everything for his people and his country and died a materially poor man,” he added.

Sani lamented the impact of the 1966 coup, describing it as a tragic event that left a lasting scar on Nigeria’s political and social fabric.

“His murder and that of others in 1966 was the seed of evil that continues to haunt our country. May the souls of all the victims of the 1966 coup rest in peace. Ameen,” he wrote.

Sir Ahmadu Bello, popularly known as the Sardauna of Sokoto, was a prominent northern leader and the first and only Premier of the Northern Region from 1954 until his assassination in January 1966.