L
LequteMan
Guest
Nigerian Second Republic politician, Mr Ishaya Dare Akau in an interview published by Vanguard spoke about the period he was jailed by the first administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He served as commissioner in the Lawal Katia administration in the Old Kaduna State, and was the last chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.
"After the 1979 elections, our party went into relationship with the PRP, and honestly they picked some of us from the other party (NPP) to join them. So, from the NPP I was picked and Asandu Garba from Saminaka was picked, he was a UPN supporter. We joined to form the cabinet under Abba Rimi. So, I was a commissioner from 1981 – 1983. I served as a Commissioner for Education, Economic Planning and Agriculture. After this, we lost the election in August 1983 and we left the cabinet.
"But then the coup came four months later. And you know, it was against anybody who had served. We were told to report to the nearest police station (laughter). We did, and police told me they had no problem with me that I should go. I was asked to report to the NSO here (Kaduna) and they said they had no reason to keep me.
"But one day I was declared wanted and was brought to Kaduna under police escort. We were first detained in a house along Tafawa Balewa Way.
"All of us that were commissioners in Kaduna State, about 14 of us. After staying there for two weeks we were moved to Kaduna Prison where we stayed for eight solid months.
"We were released in October. While we were in prison there was a committee set up comprising the Army, Air Force, Police and NSO that probed our activities while in power; our bank accounts, investigated and everything. At the end of the day, nothing was found incriminating against us. We were given letters of discharge to go. No apologies given. You see, we were arrested and kept then they went to go and look for the charges against us, instead of getting the charges first… Right! That was what happened. So, I spent eight solid months inside that Kaduna Prison. The only time we saw the outside was when they came to carry us for investigations.
He served as commissioner in the Lawal Katia administration in the Old Kaduna State, and was the last chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.
"After the 1979 elections, our party went into relationship with the PRP, and honestly they picked some of us from the other party (NPP) to join them. So, from the NPP I was picked and Asandu Garba from Saminaka was picked, he was a UPN supporter. We joined to form the cabinet under Abba Rimi. So, I was a commissioner from 1981 – 1983. I served as a Commissioner for Education, Economic Planning and Agriculture. After this, we lost the election in August 1983 and we left the cabinet.
"But then the coup came four months later. And you know, it was against anybody who had served. We were told to report to the nearest police station (laughter). We did, and police told me they had no problem with me that I should go. I was asked to report to the NSO here (Kaduna) and they said they had no reason to keep me.
"But one day I was declared wanted and was brought to Kaduna under police escort. We were first detained in a house along Tafawa Balewa Way.
"All of us that were commissioners in Kaduna State, about 14 of us. After staying there for two weeks we were moved to Kaduna Prison where we stayed for eight solid months.
"We were released in October. While we were in prison there was a committee set up comprising the Army, Air Force, Police and NSO that probed our activities while in power; our bank accounts, investigated and everything. At the end of the day, nothing was found incriminating against us. We were given letters of discharge to go. No apologies given. You see, we were arrested and kept then they went to go and look for the charges against us, instead of getting the charges first… Right! That was what happened. So, I spent eight solid months inside that Kaduna Prison. The only time we saw the outside was when they came to carry us for investigations.
