God Has Silenced Those Who Wished IBB Dead —Sani Bello

Wednesday, June 8, is not a date many close associates and relatives of Nigeria’s former military president, Ibrahim Babangida may forget in a hurry. That was the day the news, which later turned out to be mere rumour, spread like wild fire that the General who once referred to himself as “the evil genius” was dead.

The rumour provoked a lot of things. Relatives of the man virtually ran helter skelter trying to confirm the true situation of things. News hounds raced around Minna and knocked on the doors of those who might know, to confirm what they had heard.

Alas! The report by Television Continental’s Babajide Kolade-Otitoju came to the rescue. “I am still alive,” IBB told the TVC reporter in Germany. That encounter, relayed in Nigeria, was the douser.

Yesterday, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida arrived his hometown of Minna, Niger state after a three-week medical trip to Germany. At the Minna Airport to welcome him were some of his close family members and associates. One of the dignitaries who welcomed him was the governor of Niger, Mr Sani Bello.

Sanni Bello told Babangida: “Your safe return has finally put a lie to the rumour and the evil machinations of those who are playing God. We are grateful to Allah that He has silenced them.”

The Niger State governor who described Babangida as “our national icon” said he was one of the few leaders in Nigeria whose wealth of experience and knowledge were still needed by today’s leaders to build the nation.