International Friends Almost Rescued Me From Prison, Says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday morning recounted how he was almost set free from Yola Prison commando-style by "international friends".

Although he did not state the year, he was in prison from 1995 to 1998 on allegations of a coup plot against the military government of Sani Abacha.

He said when he was sent to prison, "some of my international friends sent a message that they were ready to storm the Yola Prison and rescue me in a helicopter and take me to safety in Cameroon, but I said no; if you do that I will not leave the prison".

Obasanjo was speaking at the 20th anniversary of the death of Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, a retired major general and his deputy when he was military head of state from 1976-1979.

While Yar'Adua died in Abakaliki - allegedly poisoned - Obasanjo was released by the government of Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1998 and he went on to get elected twice as president between 1999 and 2007.

UCJ, UNILORIN.