Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says the invasion of Aso Presidential Villa, Nigeria’s seat of power, by bandits and armed robbers “further point to the collapse of the country’s security command structure under President Muhammadu Buhari’s incompetent watch”.
The PDP in a statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan noted that “all over the world, the Presidential Villa, as the seat of power and national sovereignty, is the fortress of the nation that ought to have impregnable security”.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu in a Facebook post on Monday confirmed an attempt to burgle the residence of the Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari at 3:00 am but it turned out to be unsuccessful.
“Professor Gambari, whose house is on a street next to the Villa has assured that there is nothing to worry about from the incident. The police, in a related development, is searching for a suspected burglar who unsuccessfully attempted to break into the house of Maikano Abdullahi the Administration Office on Thursday, last week. Maikano lives on the same street with the Chief of Staff, close to the Villa,” Mr Shehu said.
The PDP however said that “the reported bandit assault on the residence of the Chief of Staff to Mr President within the precinct of the Presidential Villa, is too close to home and has heightened apprehensions over the capacity of the Buhari Presidency to secure the nation.
“As such, any breach of security, particularly by outlaws and in sequence, sends a clear danger signal to the overall security of the nation.
“It is imperative to state that such security infraction, that gave way for outlaws to invade the Presidential villa in sequence, in spite of its perceptibly secured ambience, can only happen under an absentee President, who has not demonstrated the required capacity expected of his office.
The PDP also recalls the security breaches in June last year, involving shooting, violent combats, raids and free use of firearms within the precinct of the Presidential Villa, arising from a bitter squabble between members of President Buhari’s family and some security aides.
“Our party is worried that if President Buhari cannot guarantee the security of the Presidential Villa, then his capacity to secure the entire country is no longer assured.
“The PDP, therefore, urges President Buhari to wake up from slumber, review his security architecture and take decisive steps, beyond his lethargic body language, to secure our nation.”
By Abel Ejikeme