Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has recounted a family story from the period of ethnic violence preceding the Nigerian Civil War, saying his grandmother sheltered Igbo people who were fleeing attacks in northern Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Creative Lord TV on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Sani said he was told that many Igbo residents sought safety as violence escalated, with some crossing a graveyard while trying to escape.
“When people were attacking Igbos, some of them ran for their lives. They crossed the graveyard seeking for a way to escape. My grandmom came out of the house and received them,” Sani said.
According to the former lawmaker, his grandmother offered refuge to those fleeing despite the tense security situation at the time.
Sani said the story illustrates that, even during periods of widespread violence and fear, some individuals chose to protect innocent lives regardless of their ethnic background.
He added that such acts of humanity should be remembered alongside accounts of the conflict, arguing that people who risked their own safety to protect others deserve recognition as part of Nigeria’s history.
The former senator said these stories demonstrate that compassion and solidarity existed despite the deep ethnic divisions that marked the period.
