A former Borno state Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, on Monday, admitted visiting the Aminu Kano International Airport on Saturday while the Chad-bound Russian aircraft carrying military hardware was being detained.

He however blamed PREMIUM TIMES’ report of his visit to the Kano Airport on those he called his political rivals.

Mr. Sheriff had on Saturday night paid a curious visit to the Kano Airport during which he requested two security officials at the airport to lead him on a discreet tour of the detained aircraft, a development that sparked widespread speculation across the country.

Nigerians wondered what his real intentions were especially given his well-known closeness to the President of Chad, the actual destination of the detained aircraft.

But while admitting that he indeed travelled through the airport that night, he failed to confirm or deny whether he inspected the plane as reported by multiple inside sources who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES.

“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,” he said. “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.”

While our sources said he passed through the airport at around 10 p.m. that day, the former governor said he passed by the airport earlier than the time stated in our report. He did not say exactly when, but he claimed to have attended a meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja at 9 p.m. that day.

He also failed to explain whether or not he embarked on a guided tour of the airport at whatever time he visited the airport that Saturday.

“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,” he said. “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.”

He added, “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.”