Mohammed Magoro
Encyclopedia
Mohammed Magoro is a retired Major General of the Nigerian army who was twice a government minister, under Generals Obasanjo and Buhari. In the April 2011 elections he was elected Senator for the Kebbi South constituency of Kebbi State
, Nigeria
.
, a member of the Zuru ethnic minority.
He was a graduate of Bida Provincial School, a classmate of Mamman Jiya Vatsa
and Ibrahim Babangida
. He joined the Nigerian army in 1963, and enrolled at the Nigeria Military Training College.
He became Minister for Internal Affairs under Major General Muhammadu Buhari
, the military ruler from January 1984 to August 1985.
He was also a member of the Supreme Military Council.
As Minister for Internal Affairs, in May 1985 he oversaw the exodus of close to a million foreign nationals from Nigeria.
Half had come from Ghana
, and the rest from other West African countries where they were escaping from drought and starvation.
Magoro was not retained as minister under Ibrahim Babangida
's new regime which took power in August 1985, but was appointed head of the Nigerian National Shipping Line
, the Nigerian Railways and Nigerian Ports Authority
.
After his retirement in 1995 he took to public service and thereafter became the Chairman of Ocean and Oil Services Ltd.
In November 2001 Magoro was an influential member of the Board of Trustees of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
In the run up to the April 2007 elections for Kebbi State
governor, Magoro was at first declared the PDP candidate but later was replaced by Alhaji Saidu Dakingari. When Dakingari went on to be elected, the rival parties disputed the validity of the election on the basis that he had been filed as a candidate on 5 February 2007 but had not formally joined the party until 10 February 2007.
In the January 2011 PDP primary election in Zuru
for Senatorial candidate for Kebbi South, Magoro defeated the incumbent, Senator Tanko Ayuba.
In the 9 April 2011 elections, Mogoro won 125,940 votes and was declared elected. The runner-up was Abubakar S. Yelwa of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC), who won 94,147 votes.
Kebbi State
Kebbi State is a state in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. It has a total area of...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Early career
Magoro was born in Kebbi StateKebbi State
Kebbi State is a state in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. It has a total area of...
, a member of the Zuru ethnic minority.
He was a graduate of Bida Provincial School, a classmate of Mamman Jiya Vatsa
Mamman Jiya Vatsa
Mamman Jiya Vatsa was a Nigerian soldier and writer. He was a Major-General in the Nigerian army, Minister of the Federal Capital Abuja, and a member of the Supreme Military Council...
and Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
. He joined the Nigerian army in 1963, and enrolled at the Nigeria Military Training College.
Military regime
Magoro was appointed Federal Commissioner of Transport during the Military administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1978.He became Minister for Internal Affairs under Major General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
, the military ruler from January 1984 to August 1985.
He was also a member of the Supreme Military Council.
As Minister for Internal Affairs, in May 1985 he oversaw the exodus of close to a million foreign nationals from Nigeria.
Half had come from Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and the rest from other West African countries where they were escaping from drought and starvation.
Magoro was not retained as minister under Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
's new regime which took power in August 1985, but was appointed head of the Nigerian National Shipping Line
Nigerian National Shipping Line
The Nigerian National Shipping Line was established by the Nigerian government in 1959.Despite heavy investment and subsidies, the state-owned company was unable to compete with European lines....
, the Nigerian Railways and Nigerian Ports Authority
Nigerian Ports Authority
The Nigerian Ports Authority is a federal government agency that governs and operates the ports of Nigeria. The major ports controlled by the NPA include: the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos; Calabar Port, Delta Port, Rivers Port at Port Harcourt, and Onne Port...
.
After his retirement in 1995 he took to public service and thereafter became the Chairman of Ocean and Oil Services Ltd.
Fourth republic
Magoro became Chairman of the Oando group in 2000, a petroleum marketing company created through privatization of Unipetrol Nigeria Plc., in which Ocean and Oil Services bought a major share.In November 2001 Magoro was an influential member of the Board of Trustees of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
In the run up to the April 2007 elections for Kebbi State
Kebbi State
Kebbi State is a state in north-western Nigeria with its capital at Birnin Kebbi. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State, Niger State, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger and the nation of Benin. It has a total area of...
governor, Magoro was at first declared the PDP candidate but later was replaced by Alhaji Saidu Dakingari. When Dakingari went on to be elected, the rival parties disputed the validity of the election on the basis that he had been filed as a candidate on 5 February 2007 but had not formally joined the party until 10 February 2007.
In the January 2011 PDP primary election in Zuru
Zuru
Zuru is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Zuru.It is also the Headquarters of Zuru Emirate. The Emirate comprised four local government areas, namely: Danko-Wasagu, Fakai, Sakaba and Zuru....
for Senatorial candidate for Kebbi South, Magoro defeated the incumbent, Senator Tanko Ayuba.
In the 9 April 2011 elections, Mogoro won 125,940 votes and was declared elected. The runner-up was Abubakar S. Yelwa of the Congress for Progressive Change
Congress for Progressive Change
The Congress for Progressive Change is a political party founded in Nigeria in 2009 in preparation for the April 2011 elections.It is the 63rd political party to be founded in the country and also the last political party to be registered in Nigeria....
(CPC), who won 94,147 votes.