Police IG ignores Aisha Buhari’s outcry, refuses to release her aides

The IGP had on Thursday ordered the arrest of Aisha's aides for firing gunshots in the Presidential Villa.

The Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed. (FACT)

Two days after the aides of the Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari were arrested for allegedly using firearms in the Presidential Villa, the First Lady’s security aides have not been released despite her outcry.

The First Lady had on Friday, June 12, 2020, in a series of tweets called on the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed to release her assigned staff to avoid exposing them to coronavirus in the police custody.

The crisis leading to the arrest of the aides started on the night of Thursday, June 11, 2020, when the First Lady and three of her children, Zahra, Halima and Yusuf together with some security aides led by her Aide-de-Camp, Usman Shugaba asked President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal assistant, Yusuf Sabiu also known as Tunde to self-isolate after returning from a trip to Lagos.

The demand was reported to have degenerated into a heated argument between Sabiu and the First Lady as Aisha’s ADC reportedly fired gunshot while trying to apprehend the President’s PA.

Following the gunshots, the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed received a security report on the incident and ordered the arrest of Aisha’s ADC and all the security aides that went to Sabiu’s residence with the First Lady.

Yusuf Sabiu (Tunde) and President Muhammadu Buhari (Naijaloaded)

Although, Aisha cried out to the police IG to release her aides on Friday, a source close to the Presidency told ThePunch that as of Saturday, June 13, 2020, the aides were still in police custody.

The source said, ‘’Tunde met the NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru, who recently died of COVID-19. He also visited several other places. Instead of going on self isolation, he decided to return to the Villa and he is one of the few aides that has direct access to the President.

“The President is almost 80 and he is very vulnerable given his medical history. We advised Tunde not to see the President but he refused and forced his way into the Villa. He was able to get the First Lady’s aides arrested because of the influence he wields.

“We have a rule in the Villa that those who have direct access to the President should reduce their engagement with people. Even the new Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has been adhering to the rule but Tunde seems to be a law unto himself.”

When asked whether the First Lady’s aides had been released, the source said, “As I speak to you, they have remained in custody, exposing them to possible infection of COVID-19.”

PDP reacts to the crisis in Aso Rock

Reacting to the crisis in the presidency, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the reports about gunshots within the Villa as a breach of security.

In a statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, the PDP expressed worry about what it described as an ugly situation in the Buhari presidency.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan (Vanguard)

The statement reads, “The party described as distressing, the report that members of Mr President’s family were at the scene of the assault against one of President Buhari’s aides, during which the First Lady’s security details were alleged to have resort ed t o the use of firearms.

“Our party is disturbed by such an ugly situation in the Buhari Presidency, which has already heightened apprehension 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.