By Kolawole Ojebisi
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a probe into the shooting incident allegedly involving his wife, the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, her daughters and Aide-de-Camp on one hand and the President’s Personal Assistant, Mr Sabiu Tunde Yusuf, on the other.
Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said in a statement on Sunday that the incident happened outside the residence of the President and does not warrant any attack or abuse on his person, urging critics to stop using the incident to justify attacks on the federal government.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) had in a statement flayed the incident, and asked President Buhari to speak out on the matter.
However, Mr Shehu, who also refuted reports that Mr Sabiu Yusuf, personal assistant to the president, was asked by Mrs Buhari to self-isolate after returning from a trip from Lagos because of the president’s health status said the call by PDP was unnecessary and unjustified.
Mr Shehu said the president “is not and was not at anytime in any form of danger arising from either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.”
Recall The New Diplomat had reported that there was clash between the ADC to the First lady, Aisha Buhari and a presidential aide, Mr Sabiu Yusuf at the State House last Thursday.
The clash reportedly occurred when Mr Yusuf, at the instruction of Mrs Buhari, refused to go on self-isolation after embarking on a trip outside Abuja, a development that led to serious altercation among them. In the process, Col. Usman Shugaba, First lady’s aide, reportedly “opened fire” within the vicinity.
The statement read in full:
“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.
“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.”
It would be recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) had in a statement said it is worried by the shooting incident at the Villa. According to the PDP, the “party is disturbed by such ugly situation in the Buhari Presidency, which has already heightened apprehensions in the public space over the apparent failure of security architecture and central command system in the presidency leading to such reckless and irresponsible breaches.”
