The book, Political Assasinations is an account of the experiences of the author as a political prisoner living with hardened criminals for several years. The experience gave him the opportunity to interact with the inmates, understand their mindset and study their ways of life. The work is also a compendium of political assassinations in world history with Nigeria as case study.

The author identifies greed, desperation for power, refusal to allow healthy political or business rivalries and intolerance of dissenting opinions as attributes of murder sponsors. Those who sponsor murders often end up as life hostages of the assailants who usually resort to cheap blackmail. The assassin as a blackmailer usually returns for more.

In the first chapter, the author traces the definition and origin of ‘assassination’ to the Ismaili Islamic sect led by the Old Men of the Mountains who established its headquarters in the South of the Caspian Sea in Persia (present day Syria and Iran) in AD 1090. The author traces the origin of the word assassin, aside listing general patterns and trends of assassinations.

Sanni deduced that prior to the 1990s, the only kind of assassination that Nigerians were familiar with was the coup d’etat. Then in 1986, a new dimension was introduced when Dele Giwa, a radical editor of the Newswatch magazine was assassinated with a parcel bomb. Assassination of political figures became a social problem during the Abacha regime and has increased even during the civilian regime. This trend threw up so many questions.

Nigeria’s history and social economic structure is also examined.
In chapter two, the author takes a vivid look at the topic, Theoretical Perspectives on Assassination and Violent Crimes. The author views assassination as a crime, driven by aggression and violence. To understand the workings of the minds of assassins, the author points out that it is necessary to situate the quest within the general framework of science and aggressive behaviours.

In concluding that chapter, the author notes that each of the perspectives has its strength and weakness in attempting to explain violent or aggressive behaviour. It follows that a comprehensive theory of aggressive behaviour must ultimately be capable of blending the strengths of all the perspectives. This basic truism permeates the discussions in the book.

The author in chapter three takes a shift from the perspective and now focuses on political assassinations in world history. The author notes that assassination has been part and parcel of human history. For example, the famous assassination of Julius Ceasar which occurred in the century before the birth of Christ (44 BC) is a case in point.

This chapter, which runs from page 49 to 79 takes a look at various assassinations carried out around the world on high profile personalities, the perpetrators of such dastard act, and the motive behind such acts. Writing under the sub-heading as Profile of Assassins in the Momentous, Assassinations in world History, Shehu tries to look at assassinations as a way of oppressing the people. Here he takes a look at their profiles, the reasons, plots, the executions, and picks out seven assassinations that rocked the world to its foundation.

The author in chapter four looks at the topic, Political assassination in Nigeria. The author looks at three historical periods: 1960-1992, 1993-1998 and 1999 to date. With the exception of Dele Giwa, a radical journalist and editor of Newswatch Magazine, who was assassinated with a parcel bomb in April 1986, the remaining cases, the author states, fall within this historical time frame that had to do with people in government and politically motivated killings.

The author lists some of the politicians who had at one time or the other been felled by assassins’ bullets, including the late Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, Northern region’s Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Western region’s Premier, Chief Samuel Akintola, and a host of other civilian and military casualties.

On page 82, the author reels out the names of notable men and politicians that have been hacked down by assassins’ bullets, with no trace of the culprits.

Chapter five takes a look at the Legal System and the Assassin. The sub-topic: Nigerian Law and the Assassin, takes a critical look at the section of the constitution that focuses on the modus operandi by which such murders are carried out. The section also highlights factors that hamper police investigation and inability of the judiciary in convicting assassins.

The author also presents proposals on penal/correctional system relating to Nigeria’s social structural configuration and values, this he highlights as structural imbalances, leadership and management problems. These factors according to him, have led to the emergence of a nation with many paradoxes. With this, he rounds off the last chapter. He thereafter presents a bibliography of three pages with a four-page index. His profile and portrait adorn the last page.

With Political Assassinations in Nigeria, the author has once again demonstrated his skills as a writer with class, and a man with vast knowledge of Nigeria’s political landscape. Using historical and factual excerpts from magazines and newspapers, the author unfolds history and presents solutions to such killings.

The book is written in simple language and it is a must read because the subject is easily a sensitive one. This is another wonderful work by Shehu Sani, an activist, playwright and President, Civil Right Congress (CRC).