{"id":3034,"date":"2026-03-20T10:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T10:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=3034"},"modified":"2026-03-20T01:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T01:51:36","slug":"i-found-safety-here-tinubu-recounts-uks-protection-during-pro-democracy-struggle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=3034","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I found safety here,\u2019 Tinubu recounts UK\u2019s protection during pro-democracy struggle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Bola Tinubu has recalled how he found refuge in the United Kingdom during Nigeria\u2019s pro-democracy struggle, stating that British authorities once placed his residence under police protection amid threats from agents of the military regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tinubu made the remarks on Wednesday during a state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Olamide, Wizkid - Kai! (Official Video)\" width=\"980\" height=\"735\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7tChMHOrQJM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his address, the Nigerian leader expressed gratitude to the UK for its support during the years of military rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYour Majesty, I wish to express Nigeria\u2019s deep gratitude to this great nation for the refuge and support it extended during the dark years of military dictatorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLike many Nigerians involved in the pro-democracy struggle, I found safety here, and I recall that my residence was placed under Metropolitan Police surveillance for protection following threats from agents of the junta,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added that such solidarity remains significant, noting it was \u201cdeeply humbling\u201d to return as President of a democratic Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">igeria\u2019s pro-democracy struggle reached its peak in the 1990s following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Moshood Abiola under the regime of Ibrahim Babangida. The decision triggered widespread protests and resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Repression intensified during the rule of Sani Abacha, marked by arrests, assassinations, and the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, drawing international condemnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sustained pressure from pro-democracy groups, including civil society organisations and the media, eventually paved the way for a transition to civilian rule under Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1999, ushering in the Fourth Republic with Olusegun Obasanjo as President.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The legacy of the struggle endures, notably through the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day and ongoing efforts to honour its key figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tinubu also highlighted Nigeria\u2019s current security challenges, particularly terrorism linked to instability in the Sahel, stressing the importance of continued cooperation with the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur West African region faces complex terrorism challenges with roots in the Sahel. Nigeria carries an enormous responsibility to help safeguard regional stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn confronting these threats, partnership with the United Kingdom remains essential,\u201d he said, adding that he looked forward to meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The President further expressed confidence in the future of bilateral relations, noting that both countries share a commitment to progress, mutual respect, and common values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>He also pointed to Nigeria\u2019s role within the Commonwealth of Nations as a platform for strengthening ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reflecting on historical and institutional links, Tinubu acknowledged the influence of British legal and political traditions on Nigeria\u2019s governance system, including its courts, parliamentary structures, and civil service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also praised the contributions of Nigerians in the UK, describing them as the \u201cstrongest bridge\u201d between both nations, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, business, technology, and the arts. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelstv.com\/2026\/03\/19\/i-found-safety-here-tinubu-recounts-uks-protection-during-pro-democracy-struggle\/\">(Channels)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Bola Tinubu has recalled how he found refuge in the United Kingdom during Nigeria\u2019s pro-democracy struggle, stating that British authorities once placed his residence under police protection amid threats from agents of the military regime. Tinubu made the remarks on Wednesday during a state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[262,1288,3256,865,1364,631,3255,424,85],"class_list":["post-3034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-foreign","tag-bola-tinubu","tag-democracy","tag-ibrahim-babangida","tag-june-12","tag-king-charles-iii","tag-military","tag-moshood-abiola","tag-nigeria","tag-united-kingdom"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u2018I found safety here,\u2019 Tinubu recounts UK\u2019s protection during pro-democracy struggle - Tona Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"President Bola Tinubu has recalled how he found refuge in the United Kingdom during Nigeria\u2019s pro-democracy struggle,\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tona.today\/?p=3034\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018I found safety here,\u2019 Tinubu recounts UK\u2019s protection during pro-democracy struggle - 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