Headlines
Aisha Buhari’s security aides restored after Aso Rock shooting
BY NICHOLAS ABE
The aide-de-camp (ADC) to First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, CSP Usman Shugaba and other security aides attached to the office of the First Lady have been reportedly restored to their positions and returned to the Presidential Villa.
They were said to have been absolved of any complicity by an investigative panel drawn from the Security Council to probe a shooting incident at the presidential villa, Aso Rock, the official residence of the president, Muhammadu Buhari.
There had been a misunderstanding in the last two weeks following a family feud between the First Lady and an aide to President Buhari over compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.
The misunderstanding led to shooting at the Villa and subsequent withdrawal and detention of the First Lady’s ADC and other security details.
Consequently, the president directed that the incident be investigated.
Mrs Buhari had cried out on Twitter over the continued detention of her security aides, calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to release them.
The Nation, quoting a top source, reported that the First Lady’s ADC and other security details were cleared as at last Saturday.
“The First Lady has got all her staff back because the investigative panel discovered the ADC did not fire a shot in the Villa.
“It was discovered that the ADC was not even at the scene of the incident and he was not armed on the said day.
“The panel was also able to establish that there were no armed policemen at that moment. There were only issues about compliance with COVID-19 guidelines,” the source narrated.
READ: Aisha Buhari fires at IGP: Enforce President’s order; release my staff
The source gave a further background to the incident: “What really happened was that a presidential aide travelled to Lagos penultimate Monday in a private jet and when he returned last Thursday, the First Lady asked him to isolate for 14 days.
“The whole intent of the First Lady was to protect President Muhammadu Buhari and his household from COVID-19 infection. It was not really a personal matter per se.
“Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the First Lady has always asked those on palliative mission for her pet project, the Future Assured Programme to self-isolate for 14 days upon return from any trip.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, had issued a statement acknowledging the incident.
According to Shehu: “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 any time in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.”