TheCable

Sule Lamido, former governor of Jigawa, says Nigeria is bleeding as nowhere in the country is safe.

The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stated this at the weekend after a meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the latter’s residence in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by Kehinde Akinyemi, spokesperson to the former president, Lamido said though Nigeria is confronted with challenges, the meeting with Obasanjo reinforced his faith in the country.

“‘How do we remain safe?’ is the biggest problem and challenge now in this country, because now, nobody is safe again,” Lamido was quoted as saying.

“Imagine! Kidnapping three workers of Baba, a former President of the country. Who is safe again?”

According to the statement, Lamido said he visited Obasanjo as his “father and leader and my everything” after a very long time, adding that he met the former president “in very high spirits and good health”.

“But he told me that he’s now ageing and I responded that he’s not, because we still need him in this country. And he said: ‘Sule, I will do anything for Nigeria’. That is very inspiring. That is why I like him and this reinforces my faith in the country, my Nigeria,” the former governor said, according to the statement.

“We discussed a number of issues, particularly on Nigeria that he so loved. Honestly, no matter how down we go, we’ll rise again. But obviously, it is bleeding now. It is bleeding.”

Lamido was appointed minister of foreign affairs under the Obasanjo administration in 1999, before he served as governor of Jigawa from 2007 to 2015.

In July 2015, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Lamido and his two sons over allegations of money laundering, and they were arraigned before a federal high court in Abuja.

In 2018, they were rearraigned by the EFCC on an amended 43-count charge for allegedly defrauding Jigawa state of N1.35 billion.

At the resumed hearing of the case in March 2021, the EFCC alleged that the former governor received kickbacks on contracts while he was in office.

The matter was later adjourned for cross-examination of the EFCC witness.