Presidency reacts to shooting at the Presidential villa

The presidency has reacted to the shooting which reportedly occurred at the presidential villa in the early hours of Saturday June 13.

Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari described the incident as a "minor occurrence" which is being used by some critics to justify attacks on the government and the Nigerian leader.

He stated that the recent incident among the occupants of the State House has led to the arrest of some staff by the police.

The presidential spokesperson noted that the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law by authorizing that proper investigation be carried out into the unfortunate incident which occurred outside the main residence of the President.

Buhari orders police to investigate shooting in the Presidential villa

President Muhammad Buhari has ordered the police to investigate the recent crisis involving the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and some security aides in the Presidential Villa.

The Presidency announced this on Sunday, June 14, 2020, in a statement by Garba Shehu the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.

On Saturday, Pulse reported about how gunshots fired by Aisha’s security aide, Usman Shugaba in the Villa escalated a heated argument between the First Lady and Buhari’s Personal Assistant, Yusuf Sabiu also known as Tunde.

The First Lady, her children and her security aides had gone to Sabiu’s residence in the Villa to ask him to self-isolate after returning from a trip to Lagos.

But Tunde felt the First Lady was picking on him, saying he was not the only occupant of the Presidential Villa that travelled during the lockdown measure put in place to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The encounter degenerated into a heated argument as Aisha’s ADC reportedly fired gunshots 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.

Buhari’s aides launch massive attacks against Aisha

The last has not been heard of the crisis in Aso Villa, Nigeria's seat of power in Abuja, as aides and close individuals to President Muhammadu Buhari launch a massive offensive against his wife and First Lady of the country, Aisha.

Aisha incurred the wrath of the 'cabal', a group of powerful and almost untouchable individuals around Buhari, after her Aide De Camp and other security details forced her husband's Personal Assistant, Saibu 'Tunde' Yusuf out of Aso Villa on Thursday after he refused to embark on a 14-day isolation period after a trip from Lagos.

Yusuf, according to findings by SaharaReporters was thoroughly beaten by the Guards Commander of Mrs Buhari after he refused to quarantine upon returning from Lagos in company with five women. 

He was said to have escaped into the apartment of Mamman Daura, Buhari's nephew, around the Villa and had remained there ever since.

Angered by the situation, it was gathered that Daura, Yusuf and other powerful individuals around Buhari had initiated several meetings to get back at Aisha, whom they consider to be blocking their plans in the Villa.

This is after Yusuf and Buhari's Chief Security Officer had ordered the arrest of Aisha's ADC and other security details. 

A top Presidency source, who confirmed the latest development to SaharaReporters on Saturday, said, "The case has now escalated to a power tussle between remnants of the cabal including Mamman Daura, Isa Funtua, and Tunde Sabiu.

"Tunde was thoroughly beaten by the Guards Commander of Mrs Buhari after he refused to quarantine upon returning from Lagos with women. Tunde claims his trip was to visit his wife, daughter of NIMASA DG, who just delivered a baby. He reportedly secured special landing rights at the Lagos Airport from Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation. 

"Upon being beaten, he scaled the fence and ended in the residence of Daura, who now lives on the periphery of the Aso Rock Villa having been driven out of the Glass House within the Villa by Aisha last year.

Daura then summoned Isa Funtua to a meeting to discuss next steps on how to deal with Aisha's latest excesses. 

They contacted the IG of police, who initially declined, asking that the issue be handled by Villa officials, but he was warned to order the arrest of Aisha ADC, a formerly with Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello. 

The ADC was seen to be powerful because he knew the secrets of the cabal and was said to help Bello move cash to the cabal while he was there in Kogi. He also had a reputation for being ruthless as Bello's ADC.

When Buhari was informed, he asked that an investigation be done but it is believed that Buhari is in a state of dementia and most times don't even remember the instructions passed out and the cabal around him capitalizes on this to commit atrocities and massive corruption.

Tunde has remained in Mamman Daura's house refusing to enter isolation as directed by Aisha, while the ADC to Mrs Buhari and other aides remain in detention at the FCT command. 

"Isa Funtua and Daura are asking the IG of Police to prosecute the ADC for some murders he reportedly carried out in Kogi as ADC to Yahaya Bello as a way of getting rid of him.

"Meanwhile, another scandal is brewing around Tunde, he was illegally recruited into the National Intelligence Agency but did not attend the compulsory training for cadets. He is looking into a future where he can be sent out of Nigeria as soon as Buhari's regime is over as a way of covering up his massive wealth.

Also, Daura cannot bear having Yusuf out of the Villa for even one week because of how he protects his numerous deals."

Though Mrs Buhari had called on the Inspector-General of Police to release her security details, they remain in custody till this time.

Aisha Buhari mourns her deceased protocol officer

The protocol officer of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has passed away. Mr Sani Yekini died on Wednesday, 10th June, after a prolonged battle with diabetes.

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari took to her Facebook page to mourn him. She wrote,

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi Rajiun.

On behalf of my family and entire staff of my office, I wish to condole the family of Mr Sani Yekini a protocol officer in my office who died earlier today, may Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus.

Mr Yekini served in my office for 4 years, he was down with diabetes and lost the battle today . 😭

He was a very committed, dedicated and courageous staff.

May God grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss ."

See the states that top the list of Presidential aides

Ogun, Adamawa, Oyo and Lagos states are currently topping the list of states with the highest number of presidential aides in an updated list prepared by the Presidency.

The 142 aides on the list are attached to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); his wife, Aisha; Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo; his wife, Dolapo; Chief of Staff to the President; and a few ministers.

An analysis of the list showed that Ogun, Osinbajo’s home state, topped the chart with 16, Adamawa, the home state of the President’s wife, Aisha, came second with 12, while Oyo State came third with 11 aides.

Lagos came fourth with 10 aides while Kano followed closely with nine presidential aides to occupy the fifth position.

Buhari’s home state, Katsina, as well as Ondo state, are tied in the sixth position with seven presidential aides each.

Edo, Ekiti and Osun states are occupying the seventh position with six presidential aides each.

Bauchi, Kebbi and Nasarawa states have the lowest number of presidential aides with one each.

States without representation on the list are: Imo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Plateau, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

A zonal analysis showed that the South West geo-political zone which has a total of 56 presidential aides accounts for the highest number.

The North West is second with 25 aides while the North East came third with 21.

The South has 17; North Central has 12 while South East came last with nine.

According to an updated list, there are currently eight Special Advisers to the President; 55 Senior Special Assistants; 64 Special Assistants; and 15 Personal Assistants. However, not all of them are paid from federal coffers.