The Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II, on Wednesday disclosed his location at the time of Murtala Mohammed’s assassination.
Sanusi revealed that he was at Kings College in Lagos State when the military head of state was assassinated.
Murtala, who was Nigeria’s fourth Head of State, was assassinated on February 13, 1976 in Lagos by coupists led by Lt. Col. Bukar Suka Dimka.
Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Sanusi paid glowing tribute to Murtala.
Speaking on Murtala’s legacy 49 years after his death, Sanusi described him as kind-hearted, yet very strong and tough on the outside.
He said: “Murtala Mohammed was my uncle, my father was in the foreign service and I grew up with my great uncle Alhaji Inuwa Wada, who was also an uncle to Murtala Mohammed.
“We grew up as children knowing him as our uncle Kawu Murtala. When in 1973 I came to Lagos, Kings College, naturally, he was my guardian.
“I did have a close personal relationship growing up in his house, spending every weekend from Kings College, spending midterms, and some days of the holidays with his children, I’m part of that family.
“I was in Kings College and he was my Guardian at the time he was sadly assassinated by Dimka. I knew him to be a very kind man and it’s interesting he has this image of a very strong, tough man outside. He was quite gentle and humorous.”
