How State Security Bungled Buhari’s Trip to Ogoniland

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, June 3rd, 2016

The Department of State Security (DSS) is said to have advised President Muhammadu Buhari against undertaking the well-publicized trip to Rivers State for the official flag off of the clean-up of Ogoniland, on Thursday.

President Buhari was scheduled to superintend the flag off of the clean-up exercise of Ogoniland that has been devastated by years of oil spillages occasioned by oil exploitation and exploration as well as other environmental problems.

Our correspondent gathered that the presidential advanced team consisting of protocol, security, medical as well as the media had already been drafted to Port Harcourt and Ogoniland, the venue of the flag off ahead of the arrival of President Buhari, who was at the last minute advised against the trip.

On Wednesday, Rivers state governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike had in a statewide broadcast assured the President of the people’s readiness to receive him in the state.

A top security source told our correspondent that President Buhari was advised by the DSS top hierarchy from undertaking the visit to Ogoniland citing “security reasons” despite reassurances by the military and other security agencies of Mr. President’s safety.

“There was no reason for the DSS not to have allowed President Buhari undertake the trip” a top security source said adding that there was no apparent security threat to the president’s life despite statement credited to the new Niger Delta militant group, the Avengers threatening the life of the President,” the source said.

The source that spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said, “It is most unfortunate that a well planned trip that would have endeared the president to the South-South people was aborted at the last moment.

“This historic trip would have remained indelible in the minds of the people. The People of Ogoniland as well as the entire Niger Delta people were waiting anxiously to receive the president only to be told that he would be represented by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“The security operatives that advised him against coming to the Niger Delta just destroyed the goodwill Mr. President would have enjoyed among the people. It is most unfortunate”.

The source stated further that “the advice was also designed to put the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the president in bad light, as one who doesn’t know what he is doing. They have been trying to undermine his office ever since but had repeatedly failed”.

“This idea of scribing health reasons to Mr. President’s inability to travel is not healthy for the government. It portrays the president as a sick president and that is not the case with President Buhari.

“I advised those close to Mr. President to look into the particular issue and find a way of keeping it out of the media,” the source stated further.