20 Years After, Sani Zoro Regrets Opposing IBB On ECOMOG Deployment

Abdulkareem Haruna

— Mar 24, 2016 6:27 am | Leave a comment

Former President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sani Zoro, recently said that he regrets the role he played, as  union leader some 20 years ago, when he opposed the then military government of General Ibrahim Babangida on the deployment of ECOMOG troops to Liberia.

Zoro, currently a member of the House of Representatives, felt if he had been better-educated on core national policy, as he is now, he would not have embarked on that venture.

The trade-unionist-turned politician made this known during the launch and public presentation of a book title The ECOMOG Story written by Frank Akinola.

Zoro who represents Gumel/Maigatari/Sule Tankarkar/Gagarawa Federal Constituency of Jigawa State, also revealed how he became interested in the Liberian war at the time  two famous Nigerian journalists from the Guardian and Champion newspapers were captured and killed while covering the  conflict.

He said he opposed IBB’s deployoment of troops to Liberia because he was ignorant about the workings of government especially as it related to international diplomacy.

‘‘I became a self appointed ambassador, without any training in public relations, I embarked on a mission together with other journalists; funded specifically by the Guardian Newspapers and the Champion who gave us N25, 000 each, if I can remember. We were traveling to capitals of West African States to beg, to solicit with our colleagues journalists so that we could fight for the freedom of Chris and Tayo who, at that time, they had already been captured by forces loyal to Yomi Johnson who later on transferred them to  the Nigerian Embassy in Monrovia where they were captured and killed.’’