Ben Bruce, Timi Frank react to Atiku’s alleged intimidation at Abuja airport

chika ebuzor

November 11, 2018 6:16 PM

Security personnel comprising of officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and DSS reportedly searched the Atiku’s private jet.

Atiku Abubakar

Senator Ben Bruce has condemned the alleged intimidation of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar by security agencies.

According to The Cable, a joint team of security personnel comprising of officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and Department of State Services (DSS) searched the PDP candidate’s private jet, personal belongings and aircraft staff.

Atiku arrived Nigeria from Dubai in the early hours of Sunday, November 11, 2018.

Atiku narrates ordeal

The former Vice-President also confirmed the incident on Twitter saying “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.”

Probe Atiku’s Dubai trip

You will recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, called on security agencies to probe Atiku’s trip to Dubai.

The PDP presidential candidate held ‘strategy meetings’ with some leaders of his party during his stay in Dubai.

Nabena also said security agencies need to check the illicit movement of cash by politicians ahead of the 2019 elections.

Face Atiku at the polls

In his reaction on Twitter, Senator Bruce said “I totally condemn this reckless harassment of @atiku the candidate of the @OfficialPDPNig as he landed in Abuja. Nigeria is not a fascist state. We will not return to a jackboot dictatorship. This government should face Atiku at the polls, not with force.”

Timi Frank reacts

The former spokesman of the APC, Timi Frank also condemned the alleged intimidation of the PDP presidential candidate.

Frank said that the plan to plant incriminating evidence in Atiku’s jet failed, adding that the security team confessed that they were sent by the Presidency to embarrass the former VP.

ALSO READ:'Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago?' - Atiku asks Nigerians

According to Vanguard, Frank said “Due to information at our disposal, I have been saying it that the PDP presidential candidate is not save 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.

“We are using this medium to inform the international community to also take note of how Buhari administration is intimidating the opposition presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who has served Nigeria as Vice President for eight years.”

Atiku Abubakar’s spokesman, Paul Ibe also confirmed the incident to newsmen, according to The Cable.

chika ebuzor