President Muhammadu Buhari has fired his security details and other persons in Aso Villa over the role they played in the crisis between his wife, Aisha, and Sabiu ‘Tunde’ Yusuf, his assistant.
Those fired by Buhari on Wednesday included his Chief Personal Security Officer, Chief Detail to President, ADC to the First Lady, Escort Commander, ADC National Defence Council, and 37 others from the villa.
SaharaReporters had on Tuesday exclusively reported that President Buhari, who was deeply angered by the embarrassing crisis in Aso Villa, was preparing to fire his security details and some top aides for the roles they all played in dragging the Presidency into the mud.
It was gathered that President Buhari decided to take the step after Mamman Daura, his nephew and one of his closest confidants, was seen weeping as he made his way to his office.
Daura was said to have informed Buhari that his security aides were not only after Yusuf’s life but his own as well.
Buhari gave the nod for all persons involved in the alleged threat to the lives of the two men to be removed.
The crisis started with Yusuf’s refusal to embark on a 14-day isolation period after returning to Abuja from a trip to Lagos last week.
This led to the arrest and eventual redeployment of the Aide De Camp to Mrs Buhari and other security details attached to her after it was claimed that they threatened to kill the President’s Assistant in the process of trying to get him out of the Villa.
Inside sources say the latest step by the President could further stir the bad blood among different power blocs in Aso Villa, especially with the First Lady vowing to take a pound of flesh for being embarrassed by Yusuf and other ‘cabal’ members.
The police have arrested Seyitan Babatayo, who accused singer, Dapo Oyebanjo aka D’banj, of raping her at Glee hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, in 2018.
Ms Babatayo’s lawyers, Ojoge, Omileye, and Partners, confirmed her arrest in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday in Lagos.
“They arrested Seyitan this morning in Lagos. They arrested our client but somebody is already there to facilitate her release on bail,” her lawyers revealed.
“This matter is coming to Abuja by tomorrow; we are petitioning. The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) is taking up the petition tomorrow. That is all I can say about it for now,” they said.
But Bala Elkana, the Lagos State Police spokesperson, said he was not aware of any arrest.
The lawyers, however, failed to confirm if their client had been released. They did not pick their calls when a PREMIUM TIMES reporter called again late Tuesday.
Compensation
Meanwhile, D’banj, through his lawyers, Mike Ozekhome Chambers, has asked Ms Babatayo to pay N100 million as compensation for falsely accusing him of rape.
In a letter signed by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, and addressed to Ms Babatayo’s lawyers, the singer demanded that his accuser pays the sum within 48 hours or risk legal action.
In the same letter dated June 15, the singer also demanded that a letter of apology and retraction of her statements be written by his accuser and published in four national dailies.
The letter read, “We have been instructed to demand and we do hereby demand from you the following: That your client makes an outright apology and a total retraction of each and every false allegation made against and concerning our client.
“The said apology and retraction shall be published in four national dailies with wide circulation in Nigeria as well as on social media platforms and handles being used by your client and her hirelings.
“That your client makes a compensatory deposit of the sum of N100m only through this chambers in favour of our client to assuage his battered image,” the statement read in part.
Irate D’banj
D’banj finally reacted to the rape allegations leveled against him more than a week after the news broke on his Instagram page.
The Kokomaster, as he is popularly called, said he will only be addressing the issue that he described as “a lie from the pit of hell” once and for all, as he has handed the case over to his legal team.
He said the issue is a “huge slap to his family and the people who believed him”.
“I have chosen to do so because the incident is a slap to my marriage and my beautiful wife, my entire family, and those who believe in me,” he said.
“I did not want to dignify the slurs with a response but it appears my silence has empowered my accusers to think I have been scared into the shadows so I would like to state that this accusation is false and ludicrous and (I) have been handed over to my legal team, while the Nigerian Police is investigating the criminal aspect of it.”
The singer added that he found the accusation more painful because it is coming weeks before the anniversary of his son’s death.
In the wake of the rape allegations, D’banj bagged a partnership deal with a popular Nigerian bank. The deal coincided with his 40th birthday.
Ms Babatayo lawyers have requested the bank to put the deal on hold.
A copy of the letter addressed to the bank was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.
In the letter dated June 10, 2020, the lawyers requested that the bank put on hold the multimillion naira deal with D’banj until the rape case levelled against him is resolved.
They stated in the letter that Ms Babatayo has nothing against the bank’s decision “but she believes it is a bad time to present such a deal to someone who still has an alleged rapist tag on him”.
“While we know that presumption of innocence inures in favour of Mr Oyebanjo, he still has the tag of “alleged rapist” attached to his name and we thought your bank should have acted better instead of presenting Mr. Oyebanjo with the said ‘Birthday Gift,’” the letter read in part.
They added that “the interest of the bank’s shareholders, investors, and customers is greater than that of an individual, and any activity that could be perceived as promoting an alleged rapist could bring the bank to disrepute.”
Background
A Nigerian model scout, Benjamin Ese, alleged that Dbanj raped his friend on December 31, 2018, at Glee hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He said this on Instagram on June 3.
Not disclosing the friend’s name, Ese wrote that his friend had attended a party in Lagos and was sighted by Dbanj “who wanted to have sex with her”. He went on to reveal how she was allegedly raped by the musician.
Thereafter, Ms Babatayo revealed herself and demanded a public apology from the ‘Kokomaster’, D’banj, through her lawyers.
The official demands contained in the letter addressed to the singer include a personal letter of apology.
Immediate past Oyo State governor, Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, is in coma, Global Excellence authoritatively reports.
Senator Ajimobi, who was moved to a Lagos based highbrow hospital, First Cardiologist, after he was diagnosed of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic about 17 days ago, sources said, slipped into unconsciousness on June 8 while doctors have since been battling to revive him.
First Cardiologist was the hospital where the former chief of staff to President Buhari, Mallam Abba Kyari, was treated of coronavirus before he died.
Inside sources informed Global Excellence that when the former governor’s health deteriorated after he suffered cardiac arrest the first time and was placed on a ventilator at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) immediately, doctors attending to him were said to have recommended a particular drug for his treatment.
But the drug could not be found in Nigeria, according to sources; hence, a private jet was reportedly deployed to purchase the drug in London.
Still, sources added, Senator Ajimobi’s condition would not improve and he had to be put on the second ventilator with the hope that he recovers. “Although, he is alive, he has been in coma since he was placed in the second ICU,” the source divulged.
Former Governor Ajimobi, who is the deputy national chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), is said to be a diabetic patient, and coronavirus a challenge for people with diabetes. He suddenly took ill in Abuja late May 2020 allegedly after attending one of the political meetings with his party chieftains.
A three-month-old baby has died after falling from the first floor of the Garki General Hospital, Abuja, The PUNCH reports.
It was learnt that the incident occurred early on Sunday.
A security guard at the hospital told The PUNCH that the mother of the baby and two others were on their way to the emergency ward when the incident occurred.
He said, “A woman along with two others were on the top floor, rushing to the emergency ward, when the baby she was carrying, slipped from her grip and fell to the ground floor. The baby’s neck got broken in the process and died.”
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Adamu Onu, refused to give details of what happened when he was contacted for comment.
When asked if the matter was reported to the police, the MD said patients were entitled to their privacy and he would not divulge any information to this newspaper.
He said, “An incident happened in the hospital but it is not something I will like to divulge for the patient confidentiality reasons. I cannot go beyond what I am telling you at the moment. I cannot say anything beyond what I have said.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, Anjuguri Manza, said he had not heard about the report, adding that it was likely that no report was lodged in any police station.
“I don’t think this case has been reported to the police. Ask the hospital if they reported the matter to the nearest police station,” Manza said.
The Federal Government has suspended a charter and aircraft maintenance firm, Executive Jet Services, for flying Musician, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, to Abuja to attend a concert.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said this during the Presidential Task Force briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Sirika said the aircraft which conveyed the musician was supposed to fly an Appeal Court Judge, Justice Adefope Okogie, from Lagos to Abuja.
He said, “The operation is a clear violation of our approval which we take very seriously. It seems this is becoming a norm. This is the second time. So, Executive Jet Services is hereby suspended indefinitely and they will face the law.
“The captain will also be sanctioned for giving wrong information to the control tower. It seems also that people are not tired of trying our resolve and we are not tired of living up to our responsibilities. Governance is a serious matter.”
The minister said the government would henceforth be stricter in granting approvals for private flights.
He said, “The person on that flight conducted a concert. We approved a flight, certainly not for a musician. The flight was approved to convey Honourable Justice Adefope Okogie from Lagos to Abuja and then back to Lagos for an official assignment.
“In this challenging time, in our wisdom, we decided that the judiciary was part of the essential services. Moving a judge from Lagos to Abuja was in order.”
The shooting at the Presidential Villa involving Usman Shugaba, the Aide-de-Camp to the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, and other security agents attached to her will top the agenda of the police management team meeting today (Monday).
The PUNCH gathered in Abuja on Sunday that the First Lady’s security aides would face a panel that would be set up by the leadership of the police.
It was also learnt the affected security aides would not be restored to the wife of the President following their involvement in an altercation with a personal assistant and nephew of the President, Sabiu Yusuf, also known as Tunde, last Thursday, at the Presidential Villa.
The trouble started on Thursday night, when the President’s wife and three of her children – Zahra, Halima and Yusuf – as well as some of her security aides, led by Shugaba, stormed the residence of Yusuf at House 8 by the Pilot Gate of the Presidential Villa.
They insisted that Yusuf, who had just returned from Lagos, should proceed on self-isolation for 14 days, to save the President and his family from the danger of COVID-19.
Yusuf had visited his wife, who was recently delivered of a baby in Lagos.
The situation worsened when the First Lady’s ADC, in his attempt to apprehend Yusuf allegedly released some gunshots on the premises.
Following the gunshots, Yusuf ran away and took refuge in the nearby house of his uncle, Mamman Daura, also Buhari’s nephew.
The IGP, a report further stated, after receiving security report at the Presidential Villa, ordered the arrest of the ADC to the First Lady and other security aides, who accompanied her to Yusuf’s residence.
Besides the ADC, a chief superintendent of police, others arrested were the escort commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sheriff Kazeem, who is the son of ex-IG, Hafiz Ringim, and four riot policemen who were at the scene of the incident. The operatives are being held since Friday morning.
One of our correspondents learnt on Sunday that the shooting incident would top the agenda at the weekly meeting of the police management team which would be presided over by the IG at the force headquarters, Abuja, today (Monday).
A source in the Presidency who confided in The PUNCH, said, “Shooting at the State House is not permitted under any guise. It is a serious security breach that should not have happened. And that is why the IG ordered the detention of the officers involved. The men will face a police panel and if found culpable, may be demoted and redeployed from the Presidential Villa.”
Explaining the incident further, the source stated, “The ADC, Shugaba, fired gunshots in the air after Yusuf jumped a locked gate in a bid to escape. Yusuf narrated the incident to Daura who informed Mr President; the President was very furious and he complained to the IG.”
“The truth is that the officers can’t go back to the villa. If they did not lose their ranks, they would be redeployed to other formations; this kind of incident attracts demotion and serious reprimand,” an official noted.
The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, could not be reached for comments as he did not respond to calls. He had yet to reply an SMS as of the time of filing this report.
One of our correspondents further gathered that Shugaba started working with the First Lady about three months ago.
Findings indicated that Shugaba was the Chief Security Officer to the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, before he was redeployed to the Villa as ADC to Aisha.
The PUNCH learnt that Shugaba had denied firing the shots, insisting that the shooting was done by a DSS official.
‘Tunde’s security aide, not first lady’s ADC, fired shot’
A top aide to the first lady, however, told The PUNCH that the gunshots that were fired last Thursday emanated from the gun of one of Yusuf’s security aides.
He said it was unfortunate that the police, acting under the instruction of Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, had decided to take sides with Yusuf (Tunde) and feed lies to the public.
The aide, who wished to remain anonymous said, “Madam (Aisha) never asked her aides to shoot Yusuf. It was Yusuf’s security men that were shooting into the air when madam’s ADC attempted to remove him from the Villa.
“If the police investigate thoroughly, they will discover that the bullets came from the gun of one of Yusuf’s security aides. Unfortunately, the public is being fed with lies. The police IG is also bowing to pressure from Mamman Daura who is the brother to Tunde’s late mum.
“Also, Yusuf met with Maikanti Baru, the former GMD of NNPC that died of Covid-19. Tunde’s wife is pregnant but it is not true that he went to visit his wife. He went to visit Baru and that is why we said he should self-isolate.”
Tottenham Hotspur have released a statement insisting that preparations for Friday’s Premier League clash against Manchester United will continue, despite their meeting with a Norwich City player who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Spurs lost 2-1 to the Canaries in a behind-closed-doors friendly match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However a player from the visiting team, was confirmed as one of two to test positive for Coronavirus, when the latest batch of testing results were released on Saturday.
With the player now set to isolate for seven days, it has led some to speculation that Spurs players would also have to isolate under the track and trace guidelines.
However Spurs say that isn’t the case, as their squad weren’t in close contact with the Norwich player.
“Close contacts have been defined by the government as being within two metres of a confirmed case for 15 minutes or more,” Tottenham said in a statement.
“The Norwich player in question confirmed he had no ‘close contacts’ with our team and our squad also verified this.
“Our testing has continued to return only negative results for Covid-19 since one positive reading was confirming almost two weeks ago.”
A forty-two-year-old passenger on board an Air India flight from Lagos to Mumbai at the weekend died under unusual circumstances.
The development has raised several questions on the checks and thermal screening being conducted at airports amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Sources hinted that the passenger was seen shivering inside the flight. When inquired, the passenger had informed the Air India crew that he had malaria.
Sources said the crew of the flight had also provided him oxygen as he was finding it difficult to breathe.
The passenger, however, collapsed and died on board the flight.
It was learnt that the passenger bled from his mouth.
The flight landed at the Mumbai Airport at 3:40 am.
Questions are now being raised at the airport checks on how the passenger with fever was allowed to board the flight.
Air India has, however, said that the passenger died of “natural causes”.
Denying that the passenger had a fever, Air India said: “Our Lagos medical screening team would have detected the same,” if that was the case.
In a statement, the airline said: “A passenger aboard AI1906 of June 13, 2020, from Lagos to Mumbai passed away due to natural causes today.
“A doctor on board along with our crew, who are trained to handle such medical emergencies, made a valiant attempt to revive the passenger, aged 42, who had suddenly collapsed, through resuscitation, but all their efforts went in vain. He was declared dead on board by the attending doctor.
“The MIAL doctors attended to the passenger after the flight landed and after all the procedures were complete, the body was sent to a hospital as per protocol. Relatives of the deceased were informed and aircraft taken for full fumigation in line with prescribed norms.”
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza died on Tuesday in what the government said was a result of a cardiac arrest. He was set to retire in August after completed controversial elections.
A day after he died, reports emerged that he had died from the deadly Covid-19. On Wednesday, his mother, Domtille Minani is reported to have died, also from Covid-19.
At the same time, a sister to Pierre Nkurunziza is said to be hospitalized in Bujumbura under intensive care. The first lady, wife to Pierre Nkurunziza was hospitalized in Nairobi after being flown in to be treated of Covid-19.
The President-Elect, Everiste Ndayishimiye, who was set to take over in August is also reported to be hospitalized in Bujumbura.
The Speaker of Parliament and one who is supposed to take over in the event both the outgoing President and the President-Elect are absent is also reported to be in the hospital under intensive care unit (ICU).
The whole government in Bunjura is now in ICU and it is not clear who is running the government at the moment. President Pierre Nkurunziza refused to lock down the country when Covid-19 became intense.
Pierre Nkurunziza dismissed Covid-19 and told his people not to wear masks. He gave representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) 48 hours to leave the country when they questioned his handling of Covid-19.
Nkurunziza also allowed and took part in political campaigns that attracted huge crowds that had no masks on. There was zero social distance and the President himself mingled freely with people.
It is said that no single test for Covid-19 has been carried out in Burundi. Reports indicate that people are dying in large numbers and there is no single preparation on how to handle the pandemic.
Burundi is one of the poorest countries in Africa. It is also one of the countries with the worst health facilities. All government hospitals are either neglected or closed with those operating being without medicine and enough doctors.
