Presidency Reacts To Alleged Shooting At Villa

The presidency has reacted to the reported shooting in the Presidential Villa “which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police”.

Recall a personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Sabiu Yusuf had ordered the police to arrest aides to the president’s wife, Aisha Buhari after they got him ejected from the presidential villa for not complying with COVID-19 safety measures, according to Sahara Reporters.

Yusuf, who is also Buhari’s nephew, was said to have been evicted from the villa after he returned from Lagos to Abuja on Monday and refused all entreaties to go on self-isolation as required — to keep the president’s family safe.

Following that, Aisha, in a series of tweet on Friday, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu to release her aides “in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposure to COVID-19 while in their custody”.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its reaction on Saturday, condemned the incident, noting that it is alarmed and “deeply worried that the protracted spat between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, and aides of President Muhammadu Buhari has now degenerated into violent combats, raids and free use of firearms within the Presidential villa”.

In a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP described as distressing, the report that members of the President’s family were at scene of the assault against one of his aides, during which the First Lady’s security details were alleged to have resorted to the use of firearms.

“More worrisome is that the Buhari Presidency had failed to speak out on the frightening situation so as to reassure Nigerians and douse the tension in the polity; especially at this critical time when our nation is facing serious security challenges,” said the PDP.

The opposition party therefore called on the President to take immediate steps to restore order in his Presidency and shield the security system from the division and power tussle among persons close to him.

But in a statement on Sunday, Presidential Media Aide, Garba Shehu confirmed the incident, but noted that it “happened outside the main residence of the President”.

Shehu disclosed that the president, in compliance to the rule of law, had authorized the Police to carry out a proper investigation into the unfortunate incident.

The statement partly reads: “This is to assure everyone that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, @MBuhari, 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.

“Having authorized 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.”