Umaru Dikko

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alhaji Umaru Dikko (born December 31, 1936 in Wamba , Nigeria , † July 1, 2014 in London , United Kingdom ) was a Nigerian politician .

biography

Dikko was initially a supporter of President Yakubu Gowon . In 1967 he was the Commissar (Commissioner) North Central State (North Central State of Nigeria) appointed. Later he was still secretary of a commission for the reunification of the northern Nigerians after the coup of 1966. After Gowon's fall in 1975 he was charged with corruption and found guilty. However, this conviction did not prevent him from becoming politically active again after the restoration of civil rule in 1979.

In the government of President Shehu Shagari he became Minister of Transport in October 1979 and, because of his proximity to the President, became one of the most powerful politicians in Nigeria. Although he had never run for a mandate himself, he was at the height of his power when he was Shagari's 1983 campaign manager . Despite criticism from his political opponents, Shagari reappointed him as Minister of Transport in his cabinet after winning the 1983 presidential election. Dikko's reappointment was seen by many as Shagari's rejection of his election promise that he would usher in an independent new political beginning and an end to corruption. Dikko, who was considered the president's “third ear” at the time, was also instrumental in influencing most of the government's major treaties.

After Shagari was overthrown by a military coup led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari , Dikko left Nigeria and declared war on the new regime. He was later charged with embezzling $ 300 million (likely of ill-gotten gains) in order to wage a mercenary -led fight against the new government. The main allegations of the prosecution included accepting bribes during his tenure and manipulating the 1983 elections .

On July 5, 1984, there was a spectacular, but ultimately unsuccessful, kidnapping attempt by Nigerian authorities. Dikko was supposed to be brought from the United Kingdom to Nigeria in a Boeing 707 from Nigeria Airways in a wooden box declared as diplomatic luggage . At London-Stansted Airport , the alarmed police thwarted the kidnapping because the two boxes - the one with Dikko and a second with the two kidnappers in it - were not sealed and those responsible for the transport could not identify themselves as diplomatic couriers . This action subsequently led to a reduction in diplomatic relations between the two states.

Dikko died on July 1, 2014 in a London hospital.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Michael Marti : A noble sack. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung from September 2003 (only the beginning of the article freely accessible, accessed on July 1, 2014).
  2. ↑ Is there such a thing as a diplomatic pouch? Information on straightdope.com dated December 20, 2005 (accessed July 1, 2014).
  3. ^ Former Transport Minister, Umaru Dikko Dies . In: The Street Journal of July 1, 2014 (accessed July 1, 2014).
personal data
SURNAME Dikko, Umaru
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Dikko, Alhaji Umaru
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Nigerian politician
DATE OF BIRTH December 31, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH Wamba , Nigeria
DATE OF DEATH July 1, 2014
Place of death London , UK