New Telegraph

Presidential aide cites insecurity for Buhari’s absence at burial

The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari could not physically attend the burial of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other officers in Abuja on Saturday because there was no security clearance. Attahiru and 10 other military officers were the victims of the Friday’s plane crash in Kaduna.

 

Buhari’s absence at their burial on Saturday elicited public uproar as some accused him of lacking empathy.

 

But Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, attempted to explain why Buhari could not attend their burial at the National Cemetery on her Twitter handle – ‘Laurestar’.

 

According to her, for a President to attend any fu-neral or event outside the Villa, the event must have at least 48 hours interval.

 

She claimed to be unaware of the protocol until it was shared by one Muhammed Yusuf.

“For a President to be at any funeral or event outside the Presidential Villa, the event must have at least 48 hours for intelligence operatives to do surveillance and clearance before the President can go based on the security report.

 

“In a case where the COAS and his team died yesterday and had to be buried today, you don’t expect the President to go there where there is no security clearance.

 

“The minimum time of 48 hours wasn’t met. In insecurity parlance, funeral ceremonies are where politically exposed persons face more risks. “Security issues and securing the President are not done by emotions or sentiments.

 

There’re laid down procedures that must be followed. Be enlightened,” the presidential aide wrote

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