The Presidency Sunday reacted to a recent gunshot incident at the State House in Abuja, saying it doesn’t pose any security threat to President Muhammadu Buhari.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said the president is not and was not in any form of danger arising either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.
He said armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training handling weapons.
The statement reads: “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.”
The statement was the first time the presidency is reacting to Thursday night incident reportedly involving Aide-de-Camp of the First Lady Mr Usman Shugaba and the Personal Assistant to the President, Mr Sabiu Yusuf.
Trouble started when Yusuf, the President’s nephew, returned to his residence at the precincts of the Presidential Villa, after a trip to Lagos where he had gone to meet with his wife who had just delivered a new baby:
Citing COVID-19 protocols, the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and members of the first family were said to have demanded that Sabiu Yusuf should self-isolate for 14 days in order not to endanger the first family.
The altercation reportedly led to firing of gunshots by the Shugaba-led team and the arrest of policemen involved in the incident on the the order of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.
The IGP is said to have set up an investigation panel made up DIGs and AIGs to get to the root of the matter.
The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari had on Friday called on the IGP to order the immediate release of her security aides said to the involved in the incident.
She said the call was necessary in order to avoid putting their lives in danger or exposing them to COVID-19 while in custody.
The First Lady had also charged relevant government agencies to enforce the Quarantine Act signed by the president in March, and ensure that no one is found violating provision of the law and the guidelines issued by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
