Former Governor of Borno state, Senator Ali Modu
Sheriff has denied having any links with the
Russian Cargo plane said be carrying attack
helicopters and other military hardwares that was
detained at the Malam Aminu Kano International
Airport even though he admitted that he flew to
the same airport on Saturday, the day the Russian
plane was detained.
Sheriff addressing audience at press conference
Photo Credit:
Sahara Reporters Media
The former Governor said his visit to Kano which
he claimed was in company of "some friends"
was to connect a flight to Abuja after arriving
from Katsina where he attended a wedding. He
said he flew to Kano from Katsina as according
to him, there was no direct flight from Katsina to
Abuja.
Sheriff's statement circulated to journalists in
Maiduguri yesterday, didn't say whether he flew
to Kano on a commercial or private plane, though
his claim that there was no direct plane from
Katsina to Kano seem to suggest he might have
joined a commercial aircraft. The former Governor
is however known to have private jets which he
uses to fly to most destinations as he rarely in
Nigeria.
The former Governor’s statement was in reaction
to an online news published by Premium Times
on Sunday, alleging that he was in Kano on
Saturday and held secret meetings aimed at
freeing the detained Russian Cargo plane, alluding
to a link between Sheriff and the Cargo plane.
Sheriff, though didn't specify how long his transit
in Kano airport was, said he left Kano before
night as against the claim of the media report
that he held meeting at about 10pm with some
officials in an attempt to free the detained
Russian Cargo plane.
"At the risk of exposing my private programme
and movement last week, I like to say, all the
same, that I left Abuja for Katsina last Thursday
for the wedding ceremony of Muhammed, son of
my friend Lamai Hassan who died 20 years ago.
After the wedding, I needed to return to Abuja on
Saturday with other friends through the Kano
International Airport, since there was no direct
flight from Katsina. The alibi I had was a meeting
that I attended at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja at
9.00pm on Saturday; whereas the report quoted
an unreal source that I visited the Kano
International Airport at 10.00pm same day!. What
a report! What incongruity! What a blatant lie!
Indeed, I dare anyone who said he saw me at the
Airport having anything to do with the detained
Aircraft to produce evidence, much as I will be
instructing my legal team to take steps towards
defending my name on this issue. I found it most
interesting that the same Premium Times which
insinuated that I visited the Kano International
Airport to lobby for the release of the Aircraft,
within a short spate of time, reported that Russia
had claimed ownership, while the cargo was hired
by France for delivery of military equipment in the
Central African Republic. I wonder what business I
had with either Russia or France to be
negotiating the release of the detained Aircraft,
even at an odd time suggested by Premium
Times. Can someone just pay attention to the
contradictions in the two reports published by
Premium Times which sought to put me on the
spot, needlessly? It is against this background
that I like to advise our brothers and sisters in
the pen profession to refrain from giving
journalism a bad image in Nigeria. The manner
Journalism is practiced in civilized climes makes
the profession to earn respect with a high rating
as the Fourth Estate of the Realm. We need to
take a cue from this if we are to use the media to
help ensure the growth and development of
Nigeria. It amounts to making Journalism over-
reach itself as a profession when practitioners
willfully submit themselves to the agenda of Pull
Him Down, Character assassination, bearing of
false witness and peddling of falsehood in
general. To round up, I will not be tired of
dismissing every report linking me with terrorism
and insurgency in Nigeria. On this note, I reiterate
that as a Nigerian who had served two tenures in
the Senate and two terms as a governor of Borno
State, I have not, and I will never have anything
to do with a group or individuals who like to pull
down Nigeria or any part of it, while I say
categorically again that I have nothing to do with
terrorists and insurgents in any part of Nigeria, as
my conscience can bear me witness." The
statement said.
The former Governor described as completely
false the Premium Times online report captioned,
“Ex-Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, In Secret
Visit To Arms-laden Chad-bound Plane Detained
In Nigeria”.
Sheriff said he read the story "with consternation"
much as he also said, "I felt scandalized to be
linked again to an issue I absolutely knew nothing
about. For me, the publication has a ring of a
conspiracy meant to dragging my name in the
mud by some cowardly, malicious and unschooled
political rivals who, in their little minds, love to
engage ill-trained media persons to peddle lies
against me.
"I hereby use this means to say to my adversaries
anywhere they may be that their evil motives to
soil may name and hard earned reputation will
not stand. Those who are drawn into the
conspiracy to hack me down under any guise will
always fail as much I am certain that they will
continue to get soaked in the whirlpool of self-
delusion and hopelessness.
"Let me declare with strong emphasis that the
report in the Premium Times which oozes strong
elements of libel is utterly untrue, illogical,
malicious and very distasteful. The authors, if
anything, only succeeded in exposing their
ignorance, lack of integrity and gross misconduct
rooted in their feeble grab of the basic tenets of
journalism which they were taught to uphold.
"I had nothing whatsoever to do with the
grounded foreign Aircraft in Kano, a reason the
Premium Times report fell flat in deceit and
misinformation.
http://saharareporters.com/2014/12/08/ex-governor-ali-modu-sheriff-admits-flying-kano-saturday-after-russian-cargo-plane-was

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ALi MODU SHERRIFF, God would judge you wella.

of all the weddings, airports and times in the north, it is the only one that conveniently brings you to kano airport by 10-11pm that coincede!!!

I say it again GOD will judge harshly!

SOONER or later the truth shall be known!

Some guys here will still find a way to put the blame on GEJ.

ichidodo:
Premium times should be sued and burned....

If Ali Modu was still in APC, this mindless foolishness will not be coming from that gutter you call a brain.

Now that he is the beloved friend of the most useless and clueless leader in Nigerian history, Premium Times deserves to be sued and burned?

Dabss:
Some guys here will still find a way to put the blame on GEJ.

Why won't it?

Let me ask you

Who his friends with Sheriff?

Who has the highest power in thee land and can ensure Sheriff is investigated thoroughly?

Who was pictured in Chad with Sheriff?

The fact that the guy is still free after more than 1 person who should know indicted him is an indicted of GEJ.

Dabss:
Some guys here will still find a way to put the blame on GEJ.

we blame gej for being a friend of a terrorist. Gej is using sherrif in this case to destabilize the north.
Shey na wetin u wan hear b dat?

Pataki:


If Ali Modu was still in APC, this mindless foolishness will not be coming from that gutter you call a brain.

Now that he is the beloved friend of the most useless and clueless leader in Nigerian history, Premium Times deserves to be sued and burned?

help me tel that medical-care needing hack , pls.
Witch cry last night, pikin die this morning. On the day d plane was impounded was d day our prime suspect landed at the same airport. This is one coincidence too many. Sherrif shld tell us something different.