Two Fake Buhari’s Security Aides arrested in Ekiti for impersonation,
attempt to defraud Fayose, other unknown motives
Two men, who claimed to be President Mohammadu Buhari’s private
security aides, were on Saturday, arrested at the Afao-Ekiti country
home of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose for presenting
themselves as staff of the Office of the National Security Adviser
(ONSA), with influence over the report of the military panel set up to
investigate alleged involvement in partisan politics by some soldiers
and officers during the 2014/ 2015 gubernatorial election conducted in
some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom.
The two men, Benedict Ola Idega and Abdulsalami Leader H. claimed that
they already have the preliminary report of the military panel and
that with the cooperation of the governor, they could manipulate the
final report if necessary. They also said the army panel report was
targeted at some top army officers that the Federal Government wanted
to punish.
Governor Fayose, who was suspicious of the men’s real intentions, had
informed the State Commissioner of Police and Director of the State
Security Service, with the Police Commissioner already putting men of
the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on standby.
The two men, in a meeting with the governor presented what they called
photocopy of page three of the preliminary report to show that they
meant business. The purported copy of the page three bore the logo of
the Nigerian Army.
After turning copy of the page three of the purported preliminary
report, the governor gave the impression that he was satisfied with
all that they said and asked them to wait at his waiting room for him
to show appreciation. He then called in the Commissioner of Police and
SSS Director, who in turn asked their men to move in and arrest the
two men.
The identity card found on Abdulsalami Leader H bore “GMB SECURITY”
and it was stated at the back that he (Abdulsalami) is the security of
Gen. Mohammadu Buhari with Number 34, Lobitto Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja
as issuer’s address and 088133636478 and 08057010255 as telephone
numbers. Benedict Ola Idega was with identity card bearing Federal
Capital Development Authority.
The two men, who lodged at a popular hotel along Bank Road, Ado Ekiti
are now being detained at the Police Headquarters, Ado Ekiti alongside
another suspected accomplice, who was found in their hotel room when
policemen visited the hotel for a search.
Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New
Media, Lere Olayinka, who confirmed the incident said even though it
has been established that they were impersonators, the real intention
of the men were yet to be ascertained.
He said; “We don’t want to pre-empt the security agents that are
already investigating the incident. But it is certain that they have
ulterior motives. We are also not ruling out the possibility of an
attempt to set-up the governor, obtain money from him under false
pretence or even harm him.
“Therefore, we expect that the security agencies will do their job
thoroughly by ascertaining their real motives and their other
accomplices.
“However, we must say that anyone thinking that report of any military
panel can be used to upturn an electoral victory already upheld by the
Supreme Court, which is the final destination for dispute on
governorship election must be thinking of committing judicial coup
d’état, which by all standard is treason.”
