COVID-19 Power Tussle: Presidency Breaks Silence On Shooting Incident, Says Buhari Safe

…State House Awaits Outcome Of Police Investigation

The Presidency has finally broken its silence on Thursday’s shooting incident at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, involving security personnel attached to the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, and some State House influential officials.

The incident had led to the arrest and detention of the ADC to Mrs Buhari, Mr Usman Shugaba, and a number of other personnel directly serving the President’s wife.

Reaction to the security breach on Sunday, the Presidency said Buhari was safe and was not exposed to any danger caused by either the shooting or the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

It also stated that the incident occurred outside the main residence of the President, which put both him and family members out of harm’s way.

“The Presidency wishes to acknowledge concerns expressed by several members of the public regarding the recent incident among the occupants of the State House which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police.

“This is to assure all and everyone that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is not, and was not at anytime in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel, which is currently under investigation.

“This particular incident happened outside the main residence of the President.

“Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training of especially weapons handling and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and regulations to immediately address them.”

The Presidency added that the police took the proper step by intervening to commence an investigation in line with the laid down process of law.

It noted that Buhari would allow the law to take its course.

“Having authorised the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the Police, the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law.

“That a minor occurrence is being used by some critics to justify attacks on the government and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari beggars belief.

“In this particular instance, the President says the law should be allowed to take its course”, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said in a statement.

THE WHISTLER recalls that the ADC and other security personnel were arrested after the incident when they tried to evict the Private Secretary to the President, Mr Yusuf Sabiu, from the Villa.

Findings indicated that Mrs Buhari and her children feared that Sabiu, aka Tunde, might infect Buhari with COVID-19, being one of the few Villa officials who had free access to the number one citizen.

Sabiu had reportedly had a contact with the late Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Maikanti Baru, said to have died of coronavirus recently.

He was also said to have travelled out of Abuja to a number of locations.

Upon return to Abuja, the President’s family, particularly, Aisha, insisted that he should self-isolate in line with the COVID-19 protocols put in place at the Villa.

However, Rabiu, who is said to be very powerful within the Villa, resumed at his duty post without going into self-isolation.

His action, reportedly angered Aisha, who working with her ADC, moved to evict Rabiu from the Villa.

THE WHISTLER learnt that the shooting took place in the process, though no one was hurt.

In a swift response, Rabiu too, with the cooperation of some top Villa security aides to the President, ensured that the ADC and his colleagues were arrested and detained.

Recall that the President’s wife had reacted to the development on Friday through a post on her Facebook page, specifically calling on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, to release her assigned staff.

She wrote, “I call on the IGP to release my assigned staff who are still in the custody of the Police in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposure to Covid-19 while in their custody.”

She also stressed the fact that the country had a Quarantine Act in operation, which all Nigerians must obey to avoid spreading the virus.

“That Covid-19 is real and still very much around in our nation is not in doubt.

“Consequently, I call on all relevant government agencies to enforce the Quarantine Act signed by Mr President and ensure no one is found violating this law and the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control guidelines, especially on inter-state travel, without the necessary exemptions for movement of essentials”, she stated.

In a veiled reference to Rabiu, Mrs Buhari noted, “Anyone who does that should at the very least be made to under go a 14-day mandatory isolation no matter who the person is, no one should be above the law and the Police command will do well to remember that.”

When THE WHISTLER sought the views of Mrs Buhari’s media aide, Mr Aliyu Abdullahi, he said he could not speak elaborately on the issue because he had been out of office on Thursday when the alleged arrests were effected.

The WHISTLER recalls that the Presidency had taken extra measures to safeguard the Villa in the wake of the outbreak of COVID -19 in the country.

It took further safety measures following the death of the former Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari, on April 17 of COVID -19 complications.

Mrs Buhari was said to have been enraged that any official of the Presidency would object to go into self-isolation when the President’s daughter herself had once gone into self-isolation upon her return from the United Kingdom.