Former Nigeria’s President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, revealed how a former President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter, saved him from death at the hands of late General Sanni Abacha.

He said this during a memorial service held at the Chapel of Christ The Glorious King, in Abeokuta in honour of the late U.S. President, who died at the age of 100 years, last year December.

Obasanjo noted that the visit and effort of the late US President to the late Abacha made his release from detention possible. The former president said the late Carter, was the only non-African leader, who paid a visit to Abacha solely to plead for his release, according to information at his disposal.

While describing the late Carter as a “titan and a man of peace”, with whom they shared some things in common. He equally expressed appreciation to other world leaders and friends who ensured his release from prison.

“President Carter was one of my foreign friends, who stuck their neck out to save my life and to seek my release from prison. On President Carter’s visit to Nigeria, he got Abacha to agree to take me from detention to house arrest on my farm. But that did not last for too long.

“Many other friends and leaders intervened but President Carter was the only non-African leader, according to my information, that paid a visit to Abacha solely to plead for my release.

“I would remain ever grateful to all who worked for my release from Abacha’s gulag. Abacha ensured that I would not be released. Within a week of his death though, I was released by his successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who also facilitated my going around Africa and the rest of the world to thank all those who worked for my release,” Obasanjo narrated.

He said Carter later informed him of the efforts of Ted Turner, an American entrepreneur and founder of the Cable News Network (CNN), and others to secure his release.

“But the most surprising thing Carter said to me was, ‘Please see Ted Turner and thank him for his generosity. He came to me and asked me to get his friend, Obasanjo, released from prison. I will take care of him and his family here or wherever he chooses to live.

“I was touched and moved to tears. I immediately went to Ted, who expressed to me the same sentiment that President Carter expressed,” he said. He described the late Carter as a “titan and a man of peace”, with whom he shared some things in common.