The federal government has tightened security around one of Nigeria’s leading opposition figures and former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, following a failed attempt on his life last month.
When DailyPost sighted Buhari, who was in New Bussa, in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State over the weekend for the wedding of Hadiza, one of the daughters of the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, he was accompanied to the ceremony by an estimated 30 security agents. He was seen in Borgu with his security in a convoy of about 12 vehicles, mostly SUVs, at the Muhammadu Sani Memorial Central Mosque at about 2:09p.m.
The APC leader was closely followed by the security operatives as he entered the mosque and he hurriedly left the venue of the wedding ceremony, a few minutes later. Aside having the large retinue of security agents as escorts, Buhari’s contact with the public has been observed to be restricted to the barest minimum.
The former Head of State who was full of smiles as he acknowledged cheers from his admirers was ushered into the mosque by some security operatives who were also driven into the mosque premises in a black Toyota Land Cruiser marked ‘PATASKUM.’ The security agents prevented people, especially the jubilant youths who were surging forward to touch and have handshakes with Buhari from getting close to him.
Buhari, clad in sky blue three-piece traditional attire with a cap to match , alighted from an unmarked Toyota Sequoia SUV amidst chants of “Sai Baba”. The tumultuous welcome that Buhari received, especially around the mosque premises almost marred the occasion, prompting some clerics to appeal to the youths for calm to allow them conclude the ceremony.
But unlike in the past when Buhari would step aside at such an occasion to grant press interview, no sooner had the wedding was concluded than he sandwiched by eagle-eyed security aides who ushered him into his vehicle and they drove off.
The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who has been in the presidential race since 2003, narrowly cheated death last month when a suspected Boko Haram member who tried to break into his convoy in Kaduna while he was travelling to Daura, his hometown in Katsina State, detonated his bomb-laden vehicle that destroyed cars in his convoy.
While Buhari, who was riding in an armoured sport-utility vehicle (SUV) escaped unhurt, some of his security aides sustained varying degree of injuries.
President Goodluck Jonathan reacted to the incident by declaring that his death in such a way would have plunged Nigeria into turmoil. The attempted assassination on Buhari, one of the former leader’s associate told DailyPost, has necessitated the review of security around him.
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