The Presidency has confirmed that burglars in the early hours of Monday attempted to break into the official residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, which is around the presidential villa, Abuja.
“The Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has confirmed that there ‘was a foolish attempt’ to burgle his residence at 3:00 am this morning but it turned out to be unsuccessful,” Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said in a Tweet Monday.
“Professor Gambari, whose house is on a street next to the Villa has assured that there is nothing to worry about from the incident,” Shehu said.
An online newspaper, The Gazette, had exclusively reported that armed men suspected to be robbers had raided Gambari’s residence.
It was gathered that the men of the underworld attempted to break into the house at about 3 am on but were apparently unsuccessful. The Chief of Staff, Prof. Gambari confirmed the incident to journalists covering the Presidential Villa made enquiries.
Shehu did not indicate whether any arrest was made given the level of tight security network around the residence.
The report said that the robbers also raided the residence of the CoS’ Admin Officer.
“Armed men suspected to be robbers invaded the residences of two senior aides to President Muhammadu Buhari inside the precinct of the Presidential Villa, administration officials and security sources have told Peoples Gazette, raising fears that the rising insecurity across the country was drawing closer to the elite than previously estimated.
“The incident on May 9 (yesterday) prompted Ibrahim Gambari and Abubakar Maikano, the chief of staff and admin officer, respectively, to abandon their residences, sources said.
“Their houses were robbed and the robbers packed money and other valuable assets from both houses,” an aide to the informed about the robbery told The Gazette. “It was not immediately clear whether or not valuable documents of state interest were carted away by the intruders, but The Gazette heard that the residences were thoroughly ransacked. “The robbers took away as much as possible from both places,” a security officer that confirmed the incident said. “What is more unfortunate is that no one has been arrested.”
“Officials also said Mr Gambari was given an official residence at the Defence House but has not been living there, preferring instead to live inside Aso Rock and be close to the president.” Nigeria’s presidential palace just west of the city centre has long been seen as highly fortified and far beyond the reach of burglars, bandits and other criminals currently holding the vast swathes of the country to ransom.”
No explanation was immediately rendered for the invasion and why it was not prevented by the ubiquitous contingent of security officers, especially those of the State Security Service, guarding the fortress.”
The report has raised concerns among Nigerians and some organisations. Reacting to the incident, the Ohanaeze Indigbo Worldwide in a statement wondered if things have fallen apart in the country.
In a statement early Tuesday, the organization demanded a full investigation into the alleged robbery and invasion into the residences of the two senior aides to President Muhammadu Buhari (Chief of staff and Admin officer).
Such a thing happening inside the precinct of the Presidential Villa, Ohanaeze said, “things have fallen apart and centre cannot hold”.
It noted that against the background of the rising insecurity in the country, the attack in Aso Rock is “an attempt by bandits to make a mockery of Presidency’s incapacitate to protect themselves and Nigerians and an eye-opener for Nigerians to protect themselves”.
The group, in its statement signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately “address the nation and seek foreign assistance to help Nigeria out of “this raging war at the doorsteps.”
“We sympathize with Ibrahim Gambari and Abubakar Maikano over the armed robbery attacks on May 9th 2021.”
Nigerians await the outcome of the investigation to know if it’s terrorist attacks or mere robbery incidents,” the group said.
