If Buhari could organize the kidnap of Umaru Dikko in a gangster-like manner,then it is a truism that he could have organised his own attempted suicide in otder to score cheap political goal.

Below is the story of how Buhari kidnapped Umaru Dikko .

How The Kidnap Of Umaru Dikko Was Foiled

Background

On 31 December, 1983, the elected government of Nigeria was overthrown in a military coup by the country's army led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari. The new military government jailed several government ministers for corruption and embezzlement while in office. However, the powerful former Transport Minister, Umaru Dikko, fled to London. The military claimed that Dikko used his position as Transport Minister to enrich himself in a series of racketeering scandals. It regarded Dikko as its most wanted fugitive from justice and wanted to bring him back to Nigeria to face trial.

The Kidnap


To bring this about, they hatched a plot to kidnap him off the streets of London. Nigerian intelligence services and undercover agents (with the help of several Israelis who were alleged to be members of Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad) tracked Dikko to a house in west London. After placing the house under surveillance, the agents decided to strike on 5 July, 1984.


Moments after Dikko emerged from the house, two men burst out from a van parked outside the house. They grabbed Dikko and bundled him into the back of the van. The team inside the van included a doctor who injected Dikko to render him unconscious


Israeli Anestestist


An Israeli alleged former Mossad agent, Alexander Barak, was recruited to lead the kidnap team. It included a Nigerian intelligence officer, Maj Mohammed Yusufu, and Israeli nationals, Felix Abitbol and Dr Lev-Arie Shapiro, who was to inject Mr Dikko with an anesthetic.

The kidnappers switched vehicles in a car park by London Zoo and headed towards Stansted airport where a Nigerian Airways plane was waiting. They injected Mr Dikko and laid him, unconscious, in a crate.

The Anestestist climbed into the crate as well, carrying medical equipment to make sure Mr Dikko didn’t die en route. Barak and Abitbol got into a second crate. Both boxes were then sealed.

At the cargo terminal of Stansted Airport, 40 miles (64km) north of London, a Nigerian diplomat was anxiously waiting for the crates to arrive. Also on duty that day was a young customs officer, Charles David Morrow.

Diplomatic bag

The day had gone fairly normally until about 3pm. Then we had the handling agents come through and say that there was a cargo due to go on a Nigerian Airways 707, but the people delivering it didn’t want it manifested,” Mr Morrow said.

“I went downstairs to see who they were and what was happening. I met a guy who turned out to be a Nigerian diplomat called Mr Edet. He showed me his passport and he said it was diplomatic cargo. Being ignorant of such matters, I asked him what it was, and he told me it was just documents and things.”

A missing persons bulletin alerted customs officials to the kidnapping.

No-one on duty at Stansted had dealt with a diplomatic bag before and Mr Morrow went to check the procedure.

Just then a colleague returned from the passenger terminal with some startling news. There was an All Ports Bulletin from Scotland Yard saying that a Nigerian had been kidnapped and it was suspected he would be smuggled out of the country.

The police had been alerted by Mr Dikko’s secretary who had witnessed his abduction from a window in the house.

Hearing the news, Mr Morrow realised he had a problem on his hands.

“I just put two and two together. The classic customs approach is not to look for the goods, you look for the space,” he said.

“So I am looking out of the window and I can see the space which is these two crates, clearly big enough to get a man inside. We’ve got a Nigerian Airways 707, which we don’t normally see. They don’t want the crates manifested, so there would be no record of them having gone through. And there was very little other cargo going on board the aircraft.

“If you want to hide a tree, you hide it in the forest. You don’t stick it out in the middle of Essex.”

By the book

But any cargo designated as a diplomatic bag is protected by the Vienna Convention from being opened by customs officers. So Mr Morrow got on the phone to the British Foreign Office.

“To qualify as a ‘diplomatic bag’ they clearly had to be marked with the words ‘Diplomatic Bag’ and they had to be accompanied by an accredited courier with the appropriate documentation. It was fair to say they had a Nigerian diplomat – I’d seen his passport – but they didn’t have the right paperwork and they weren’t marked ‘Diplomatic Bag’,” he said.

The decision was taken that the crates could be opened – but it would be done by the book. That required the presence of a Nigerian diplomat, but as Mr Morrow pointed out, one was already on hand. By now, the crates were up on special trolleys ready to be loaded on to the plane.

“Peter, the cargo manager, hit the lid on the bottom and lifted it. And as he lifted it, the Nigerian diplomat, who was standing next to me, took off like a startled rabbit across the tarmac, ”‎​​​​ Mr Morrow said.

“You have to remember we are on an airfield which is square miles of nothing. He ran about five yards (4.5m), realised no-one was chasing him and then stopped.‎​​​​

“Peter looked into the crate and said: ‘There’s bodies inside!’

He parked a forklift truck so its tines lay across the top of the crate so it couldn’t be opened. Mr Morrow dialled the emergency number 999.

“My name’s Morrow, from Customs at Stansted. We’ve got some bodies in a crate. Do you think you can send someone over,” he recalls saying.

“They said: ‘Alive or Dead?’

“I said: ‘That’s a very good point. I don’t know.’

“They said: ‘We’ll send an ambulance as well.’”

After half an hour, police started to arrive, and they opened the second crate. Inside they found an unconscious Mr Dikko, and a very much awake Israeli anaesthetist. Mr Dikko was lying on his back in the corner of the crate.

“He had no shirt on, he had a heart monitor on him, and he had a tube in his throat to keep his airway open. No shoes and socks and handcuffs around his ankles. The Israeli anaesthetist was in there, clearly to keep him alive,” recalls Mr Morrow.

The kidnappers in the other crate were unrepentant. They said Mr Dikko was the biggest crook in the world.

Seventeen men were arrested;[6] four were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of 10 to 14 years: Shapiro, Barak, Abithol, and Yusufu. All four were released after serving between six and eight and a half years, and were quietly deported. In retaliation, two British engineers in Nigeria were arrested and given fourteen-year prison sentences.

Repercussions

The Nigerian and Israeli governments never admitted any connection to the incident. Nonetheless, the British government immediately expelled two members of the Nigerian High Commission in London, including the High Commissioner. Diplomatic relations with Nigeria were broken off for two years. The CEO of Nigeria Airways was at one point almost arrested by British police. In the aftermath of the affair, Nigeria filed a formal extradition request for Dikko, but it was refused. The Nigerian governments war against the previous government's corruption was also weakened, as the British governments also rejected Nigerian requests to extradite other politicians wanted in Nigeria on corruption charges and living in exile in Britain.

Dikko was eventually asked to return to Nigeria. He accepted the invitation and set up a political party.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dikko_Affair


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/how-the-kidnap-of-umaru-dikko-from-london-was-foiled/

http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/mobile/151907/1/the-kidnap-of-umaru-dikko-1984.html

Buhari knows if doesn't win 2015 election,then he can never contest election again because age will no longer be on his side.

Therefore it is very possible that Buhari will employ all the tricks in his arsenal to win public sympathy including hiring some touts to pull those stunts in Kaduna.

If he could hire criminals wearing the garb of Mossad to Kidnap Dikko then what stops him from hiring some hoodlums to bomb his convoy.

Op you are right on point!!!

idumuose: Buhari knows if doesn't win 2015 election,then he can never contest election again because age will no longer be on his side.

Therefore it is very possible that Buhari will employ all the tricks in his arsenal to win public sympathy including hiring some touts to pull those stunts in Kaduna.

If he could hire criminals wearing the garb of Mossad to Kidnap Dikko then what stops him from hiring some hoodlums to bomb his convoy.

Even your fellow illiterate that you guys queue behind, in person of Asari Dokubo has a contrary opinion and was scared to death should anything have happened to Buhari. He has enough money to abscond for life, its u and your fellow wretched e-warriors i feel sorry for.

*editted* since this poo made FP

Buhari never overthrew any government

Major-General Buhari was selected to lead the country by middle and high-ranking military officers after a successful military coup d'etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. At the time, Buhari was head of the Third Armored Division of Jos. Buhari was appointed Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Tunde Idiagbon was appointed Chief of General Staff (the de facto No. 2 in the administration).

Buhari, a man that has been seeking public sympathy since 1960

OP is a PDP Cankerworm. Remember to say the same if Jonathan gets attacked. People like the OP are doing all they can to set Nigeria on fire in order to perpetuate Jonathan in Power. It will not work.

koboko69:

Even your fellow illiterate that you guys queue behind, in personnof Asari Dokubo has a contrary opinion and was scared to death should anything have happened to Buhari. He has enough money to abscond for life, its u and your fellow wretched e-warriors i feel sorry for.

sharap slave

Evil men still want to rule us. Shame on you vampires. God is watching

Devil heard the lies told by PDP and members of the Coven on Nairaland - He shouted "The Blood Of Jesus!"

egift: OP is a PDP Cankerworm. Remember to say the same if Jonathan gets attacked. People like the OP are doing all they can to set Nigeria on fire in order to perpetuate Jonathan in Power. It will not work.

i will disown you boy

Useless story

koboko69:

Even your fellow illiterate that you guys queue behind, in personnof Asari Dokubo has a contrary opinion and was scared to death should anything have happened to Buhari. He has enough money to abscond for life, its u and your fellow wretched e-warriors i feel sorry for.

i am very sure you koboko would have been a collateral damage.As your mentor,if Buhari had killed himself in kaduna,and in order to show solidarity,you should have killed yourself too.There is no koboko wihout Buhari

buhari will cry blood if after all the campaign propaganda and he looses

Obiagelli: nonsense, i would like to have deziani in a crate. Umaru Dikko is now a saint to your likes, not surprised though, gej has been endorsing and freeing thieves since he became president.
Btw Op can you act out the scene of how buhari tried to bomb himself, you can try with just one grenade so that you don't get hurt.

Don't mind the thug. He and other members of the coven are only angry that the Assasins from Aso Rock did not succeed. God will keep protecting his own.

How many people have Jonathan trialed for all the innocent Nigerians killed since 2010. He only count them as collateral in his greed for Power.

Obiagelli: nonsense, i would like to have deziani in a crate. Umaru Dikko is now a saint to your likes, not surprised though, gej has been endorsing and freeing thieves since he became president.
Btw Op can you act out the scene of how buhari tried to bomb himself, you can try with just one grenade so that you don't get hurt.

I will have love to compile a list of attempted political assassinations world wide....maybe those ones stage managed it too for political gains. Still wondering how someone will try to play with a bomb. this PDP e-militia are big time clowns

Buhari is 74years or thereabout,next year(2015) he will be 75.If he is defeated in 2015and i am sure he will,his next chance to contest is 2019.Buhari would be 79+ in 2019 and it's only a foolish party that would allow him fly it's presidential flag.

This is the time for him to fight dirty as it were to clinch APC ticket.Goodluck to him.

Obiagelli: nonsense, i would like to have deziani in a crate. Umaru Dikko is now a saint to your likes, not surprised though, gej has been endorsing and freeing thieves since he became president.
Btw Op can you act out the scene of how buhari tried to bomb himself, you can try with just one grenade so that you don't get hurt.

Maybe the guy think say bomb na banger

ROFLMAO

Op you are right!

I Laugh

may amadioha inflict this double speaking ops with leprosy, ain't you the same no lifer that praised this same move. so much more from an photosynthetic epileptic shytehead.

https://www.nairaland.com/1800094/details-unfortunate-coup-ousted-buhari

Am sorry for Nigeria.. Loads of her youths can not think. No wonder IBB said that we don't have youth that can lead the country. Just ask yourself 1 question: What happened to all the budget allocated to the Nigeria Army yet they are under equipped now gej asking for another 1billion dollars? Am not saying Buhari is a saint but trust me Gej and PDP clan are blood sucking DEMONS. Gej and PDP always look for people to blame for their imcompetent and we sit down and buy their stories.. Wow! Fela is right we are Zombies

I deciphered from the on-set, this guy, B***ri, pre-planned the 'shell' to avert any upsurge of revelations as regards being one of B'Haram's financial wallets.

Am sorry for Nigeria.. Loads of her youths can not think. No wonder IBB said that we don't have youth that can lead the country. Just ask yourself 1 question: What happened to all the budget allocated to the Nigeria Army yet they are under equipped now gej asking for another 1billion dollars? Am not saying Buhari is a saint but trust me Gej and PDP clan are blood sucking DEMONS. Gej and PDP always look for people to blame for their imcompetent and we sit down and buy their stories.. Wow! Fela got it right, we are Zombies...

egift:

Don't mind the thug. He and other members of the coven are only angry that the Assasins from Aso Rock did not succeed. God will keep protecting his own.

How many people have Jonathan trialed for all the innocent Nigerians killed since 2010. He only count them as collateral in his greed for Power.

From your reasoning,i can deduce you are a dumbo.You mean the state cannot put Buhari out if it so wishes? If the state wants to kill Buhari,it knows the best way to achieve that.If the state is after you,then you are history.

Ask Tinubu why he fled Nigeria during the NADECO time if it wasn't because the state was on his case.keep reasoning like a toddler.

The more they allow this boy to roam Nairaland freely, spewing out nonsense like this OP...the more this community become a joke...

idumuose: Buhari is 74years or thereabout,next year(2015) he will be 75.If he is defeated in 2015and i am sure he will,his next chance to contest is 2019.Buhari would be 79+ in 2019 and it's only a foolish party that would allow him fly it's presidential flag.

This is the time for him to fight dirty as it were to clinch APC ticket.Goodluck to him.

Buhari is 71, not 74. He is 2 years younger than Ronald Reagan of the US when he was re-elected in 1985.

OrlandoOwoh:
Buhari is 71, not 74. He is 2 years older than Ronald Reagan of the US when he was re-elected in 1985.

This is Nigeria where life expectancy is low,besides here is not united states.

idumuose:
From your reasoning,i can deduce you are a dumbo.You mean the state cannot put Buhari out if it so wishes? If the state wants to kill Buhari,it knows the best way to achieve that.If the state is after you,then you are history.

Ask Tinubu why he fled Nigeria during the NADECO time if it wasn't because the state was on his case.keep reasoning like a toddler.

We know the aim of the state is to clear Buhari. The General even knows. Don't forget Buhari was once a Head of State. Even before then as a Lt-Col, he was the Governor of North-East State from 1975, GEJ was yet to go to the University. He was once a minister. He was the GOC of 2 Battalion during the Civil War.

idumuose: Buhari knows if doesn't win 2015 election,then he can never contest election again because age will no longer be on his side.
Therefore it is very possible that Buhari will employ all the tricks in his arsenal to win public sympathy including hiring some touts to pull those stunts in Kaduna.
If he could hire criminals wearing the garb of Mossad to Kidnap Dikko then what stops him from hiring some hoodlums to bomb his convoy.

I WEEP FOR THIS COUNTRY AND IDIOTS LIKE THIS WOULD ONE DAY WANT TO CONTEST POLITICAL OFFICE. NOT SUPRISED ANYWAY YOU ARE A PRODUCT OF THE NIGERIAN SYSTEM CANT THINK LOGICALLY, CENTIMENTAL AND EMOTIONAL

ilugunboy: The more they allow this boy to roam Nairaland freely, spewing out nonsense like this OP...the more this community become a joke...

You call umaru Dikko kidnap story nonsense? But your theory that the govt might be the mastermind of the bomb blast isn't nonesense?i am sorry for your life.

idumuose:
You call umaru Dikko kidnap story nonsense? i am sorry for your life.

Go get a functioning brain son!