The Department of State Services (Nigeria’s Secret Police) was said to have advised the President against undertaking the trip to Oginiland, River State on Thursday despite assurances by the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Military High Command, it was learnt.
President Muhammadu Buhari abruptly cancelled his scheduled official visit to Rivers State to flag off the clean-up Ogoniland programme.
The President was billed to personally preside over the flag off on Thursday but sent his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, to represent him at the eleventh hour.
According to presidency sources, the cancellation may not be unconnected to the intriguing power play by the Agencies in charge of the nation’s security architecture.
Ogoniland has been devastated by years of oil spillages occasioned by oil exploitation and exploration as well as other environmental problems.
The presidential advance 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.One of the presidency source who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “There was no reason for the DSS not to have allowed President Buhari undertake the trip” 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.
“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 advice was also designed to put the 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 ascribing 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.
President Buhari had on assumption of office in May 2015, assured that he would implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, which recommended the clean-up of Ogoniland that has been devastated by long years of oil spillages.
