Unic Press UK: The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar was harassed by state security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Abuja, on his arrival in the country after a trip to the United Arab Emirates, the party said in a statement Sunday signed by the National Publicity Secretary Kola Ologbondiyan.
“The People’s Democratic Party condemns in the strongest terms the unleashing of a special security squad. . . to physically harass our presidential candidate. . . It was shocking when the deadly squad, in a Gestapo style attack, and acting on ‘orders from above’ rushed our candidate as he landed and attempted to physically manhandle him before invading his aircraft with dangerous weapons to conduct a violent search. . . the APC has now resorted to state-backed violence against him and must be held responsible should any harm befall him or any of his campaign team.”
Attack on @atiku: We condemn in the strongest terms the attack and harassment of our Presidential Candidate, @atiku at Abuja airport today by contingent of special security forces, comprising of the army, the police & other paramilitary agencies on the order of President @MBuhari pic.twitter.com/CiF9CCshAf
— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) November 11, 2018
I arrived to Abuja this morning to a search by agents of the state, aimed at intimidating me and my staff.
I am committed to building a Nigeria where no citizen is intimidated by agents of state who are paid to protect them.
Together, #LetsGetNigeriaWorkingAgain.
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) November 11, 2018
Reacting to the situation, the Minister of State (Aviation), Hadi Sirika said Sunday:
“For the records, all incoming passengers on international flights go through customs, immigration, health and security screening. Where the aircraft is using the private, charter wing, as the PDP Candidate did, such arrivals are met by a team of the immigration, customs and other security agencies. They go to the arriving aircraft as a team. While it is true that the Task Force on Currency at the airport did the routine action of checking the former Vice President’s travel bag, he was accorded full respect as a senior citizen. These checks are mandatory, conventional, internationally applied and routine. No one is excused from them under our laws. These checks are carried out on all international arrivals and President Buhari does not get involved in them.”
