The Presidency has attempted to justify President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence from the funeral of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers who died in an air crash in Kaduna.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who spoke on Arise TV programme monitored in Lagos, suggested that the President’s decision not to attend the funeral may not be unconnected with his dislike for “this idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road” whenever he is out for an event outside the Aso Rock.
He said: “I was in Europe myself on an assignment and I have not spoken to the President on this matter. But let me give you just one example. The President is somebody who is very concerned about the safety and wellbeing of ordinary Nigerians on the streets.
“Do you know why he now prays his Jumaat in the State House and doesn’t go to the National Mosque? It’s because he doesn’t like this idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road for the President to have the right of way.
“These are small things to many people but they are important for President Buhari. So, it is a mourning situation and the President didn’t want to take away attention from that.”
