By John Ogunsemore On Nov 22, 2020. The airport authorities confirm that this is a routine process, applying to all international arrivals, including the minister, unless the passenger is the President of Nigeria. Writing via his Twitter handle, Atiku said the search was aimed at intimidating him. Recession: Nigeria needs necessary but painful actions – By Atiku Abubakar. If such an act could be meted to a former vice president, then you and are not safe.”, Keeping It In The Family And Fortunes Of Diamond Bank, Ekiti Assembly Speaker, Others Pay Tribute To Ex-Lawmaker, Daramola, Ondo PDP Leaders To Meet Ahead Zonal Congress, AbdulRazaq Felicitates Emir Of Ilesha-Baruba At 73, AFRD 2021: Buhari, Osinbajo, Others Honour Fallen Heroes, Armed Forces Day: Lalong Urges Support, Prayer For Military To End Insecurity, Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Buhari Reminds Nigerians To Guard Unity Of Nigeria…, Kebbi Govt. Intels, in October 2017, had been drawn into a battle with the NPA over the termination of the pilotage agreement with the firm, based on advice by Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The combined security team, sources said, were looking for foreign currencies. The minister also suggested that Atiku’s claims had been hatched from Dubai to deface the Buhari administration as intolerant of opposition ahead the 2019 elections. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar said yesterday that his private jet was searched by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) immediately after returning from Dubai. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Mohammed Atiku-Abubakar, the son of Nigeria’s former vice-president, was the first to test positive for the deadly COVID-19 in the country. Independent Newspapers Nigeria. I believe he is also aware of this. Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, in a statement said the incident was carried out by a “deadly squad” in a “Gestapo style attack” on “orders from above”. DON'T BE A VICTIM! Pictures :Atiku Abubakar And His Entourage On Board His Private Jet After Visit To Obj CKN NIGERIA Published: October 12, 2018 Pictures show PDP Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and his entourage inside his private plane on their way back from visiting Ex President Olusegun Obasanjo. Frank alleged that a special squad deployed by the Presidency conducted the search with recording devices. With this controversy, Nigerians have been wondering if it was right for security agencies to have taken such action against Atiku, given his status as Nigeria’s former vice president. “The PDP counsels the APC and the Buhari Presidency to know that power belongs to God and that the time has come for Nigerians to choose a new President, for which they have collectively rallied around Atiku Abubakar and that their resort to violence, smear campaign, character assassination and rigging will not change this resolve.”. It was, however, gathered the operatives found nothing implicating during the operation. He added: “Polite search is necessary. Timi Frank, ex-deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in his reaction, said there was a plot to plant foreign currencies in Atiku’s private jet. It is only the court of law that can give such exception.”, Atiku Could Be Searched When Necessary – Party Chieftain. Share. Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) searched the jet that brought back Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to Nigeria. It is also important to state that even in the Presidential Wing of the airport the President of Nigeria uses, there is the presence of Immigration and other security officials who must stamp his or her passport on arrival. He said: “What happened to Atiku was part of the plot by the APC to embarrass and to humiliate him because they see him as a formidable force to be reckoned with in 2019. “I strongly believe that the Atiku Abubakar I know will not want to be involved in anything that will bring down this country, which is why he should not be embarrassed unnecessarily. It was gathered that the private jet conveying Atiku from Dubai landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 1:30am, into the waiting arms of the security operatives. It was, however, gathered the operatives found nothing implicating during the operation. Frank alleged that a special squad deployed by the presidency conducted the search with recording devices. “Due to information at our disposal, I have been saying it that the PDP presidential candidate is not safe under this administration because the Buhari’s administration is deploying all manners of devilish strategies to nail all the opposition leaders especially, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” the statement read. All Rights Reserved. “We invite the world to note that having failed to drag down our presidential candidate with spurious allegations and smear campaign, the APC has now resorted to state-backed violence against him and must be held responsible should any harm befall him or any member of his campaign team. A former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of “destroying his legitimate business that was employing thousands of Nigerians because of politics”. But, now that he has become a presidential candidate of the major opposition party, he and his supporters should expect what is now playing out, which I will describe as African way of playing politics. Law abiding citizens are encouraged to respect the laws of the country and our VIPs should not seek to be treated over and above the citizens they wish to serve,” Sirika said. Ben Amaeze Eziuto, Chairman, Democratic Alternative (DA), Ikeduru LGA of Imo State. Atiku Abubakar’s foray into the business world started in the real estate sector during his days as a … He wrote: “I arrived to Abuja this morning to a search by agents of the state, aimed at intimidating me and my staff. “The President, the Vice President and passengers aboard planes on the Presidential air fleet use the Presidential wing of the airport. They can move to the domestic terminal only upon the completion of the arrival processes. “Without having received any answer regarding the matter, on 30th of November 2020 Mr Atiku Abubakar was informed about the set-off of such sum while we made available the remaining sum of $5.4m. “Co-founder of Integrated Logistics Services Nigeria Limited (Intels), Atiku Abubakar, has been selling his shares in Intels over the years. Apart from his fleet of security cars and personal cars, he has a private jet in addition to his luxury collection. “On behalf of my family, I express my deepest appreciation to friends and associates who graced […] The PDP said: “While they did not find anything incriminating on our presidential candidate, this deadly squad violently tampered with certain personal documents and gadgets belonging to him, including some of his campaign documents. Therefore, he should move on and be focused until success is achieved. Not only winning an election, but defeating a sitting government. It was gathered that the private jet conveying Atiku from Dubai landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 1:30am, into the waiting arms of the security operatives. “Anybody under the law can be searched and no status should be brought into the matter, except the law says otherwise. In 1993, he contested the Social Democratic Party presidential primaries losing to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe. Nweke Christopher Chika , the North East Zonal Coordinator of Atiku for 2019 in USA and Diaspora, in his reaction, condemned the security search on the private jet of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, describing it … No one is excused from them under our laws. They are the same people. A family source disclosed this to TheCable on Saturday and confirmed that the former vice-president has left Nigeria for the UK, where he will spend some time before flying to the US. “After the search, did they get any incriminating object on him? In a statement released this evening, Sirika said the search was a routine exercise that applies to all international arrivals. Sources in the know of the incident told TheCable the security team was made up of DSS operatives and officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service. UPDATED: Why airport security searched Atiku – Aviation Minister. “Before now, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been travelling out and coming back to the country without being harassed at any of the airports by anybody. “My advice to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is that he should prepare for the worse, because, more of such embarrassments are on the way before the final battle. Paul Ibe, Atiku’s spokesman, confirmed the incident to TheCable on Sunday. It was gathered that the private jet conveying Atiku from Dubai landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 1:30am, into the waiting arms of the security operatives. “They go to the arriving aircraft as a team. His father was against western education but he got to study because of the mandatory schooling law that was in place then. ATIKU ABUBAKAR NET WORTH 2020 FORBES. “I will also want to seize this opportunity to advise the law enforcement officers that Atiku Abubakar who is now the presidential candidate of PDP was a vice president of this country and should be accorded that respect. Or, are you saying that being a one-time vice president, Atiku is above the law? “Well, whatever may be the motive behind the search may have been the reason even Atiku himself who was not happy going by his remark that, before now, they never searched him whenever he was at the airport traveling out of coming in the country. The Kaduna government says it rescued 160 Almajiri children from improper schools and homes in the state.Advertisement The state government said some of the children are from 13 states in... 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His father, Atiku announced the news on his verified Twitter page on the 22nd of March, 2020 after the Nigerian Centre … In a tweet on Sunday, Atiku thanked his friends and associates who graced the wedding fatiha. So the APC wanted to frustrate him. Atiku Abubakar Private Jet. (Together, #LetsGetNigeriaWorkingAgain. But, politics had been introduced into the conduct of security operatives in the case of Atiku because we are currently in political era. Atiku had travelled to Dubai, where he held strategic meetings with top officials of his campaign groups in preparation for the kick off of political campaigns. Checking of his aircraft should be seen as beneficial, than otherwise, even for his security as unscrupulous elements could have planted explosives or any dangerous material in the plane.”, The Law Is Not A Respecter Of Anybody – Lawyer. Search On Atiku’s Jet Intended To Embarrass Him – Chika. “The Buhari Presidency and the APC should bear in mind that this is an attack on our democracy and the collective sensibility of the overwhelming majority of Nigerians, across board, who have accepted the choice of Atiku Abubakar as Nigeria’s next President and they will vigorously deploy every means available in a democracy to defend him and our democratic process. “Due to information at our disposal, I have been saying it that the PDP presidential candidate is not safe under this administration because the Buhari’s administration is deploying all manners of devilish strategies to nail all the opposition leaders especially, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,” the statement read. “But, one thing I would like to recall is that when Atiku Abubakar defected to APC to mobilise support for Buhari to become President in 2015, nobody referred to him then as a criminal. Abubakar, in a series of tweets on Sunday, advised the Muhammadu Buhari administration to ‘swallow its pride’ and fix the country’s failed economy. They were said to have stripped everything including the luggage and also searched the pilot and co-pilot. I arrived to Abuja this morning to a search by agents of the state, aimed at intimidating me and my staff. His ministers will travel and come back without any search. Imaging ATIKU that sold our Nigerian airline, Nigerian telecom, sold Bakassi land to Cameron and use our money to build private university and private jet. Chief Ukanna Osuigwe Mbaoha is a chieftain of People for Democratic Change (PAC), Owerri North chapter in Imo State. Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has advised the Nigerian Government to reduce the salaries of political appointees and sell some presidential jets … Atiku, who took to his twitter handles, said the search was aimed at intimidating him. Being a former Vice President does mean that he is above the law. But, we will not allow that to happen. ABUJA DOCTOR REVEALS HOW MOST NIGERIA MEN ARE NOW OVERCOMING TERRIBLE BEDROOM PERFORMANCE DUE TO THIS BRILLIANT DISCOVERY. “We want to assure them that no amount of threat will stop Atiku from contesting, and with the support of Nigerians he shall win and become President come 2019 because the people are with him and he has a very agenda to transmit this country.”, The Action Was Meant To Humiliate Atiku – Activist. Atiku Abubakar. “Although I am not saying if he is found to be indulging in criminal activities he should not be questioned for the fact that nobody is above the law of the land. Election, but reduce the salaries of civil servants alone, but reduce the salaries of civil servants alone but... Abuja DOCTOR REVEALS HOW most Nigeria MEN are now OVERCOMING TERRIBLE BEDROOM DUE... Ikeduru LGA of Imo state could be searched and no status should be brought into matter. 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