Nigerian: Confusion as presidential aides clash over Buhari's absence from funeral of COAS

Controversy has trailed the absence of President Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo at the funeral of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 other military officers who died in a military plane crash on Friday, May 21, 2021.

While the absence of the President and his Vice President generated a stir within the public domain, a spokesman to the president, Mallam Garba Shehu said the President's absence may be connected to his dislike for having roads closed for him.

Buhari does not like the “idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road when he is outside the Presidential Villa," he said on Arise TV.

He continued: “I was in Europe myself on assignment and I have not spoken to the president on this but let me give you just one example: The president is somebody who is so concerned about the safety and well-being of ordinary Nigerians on the streets.

“Do you know why he now prays his Jumaat in the State House and doesn’t go to the national mosque? Because he doesn’t like this idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road for the president to have the right of way.

“These are small things for many people but they are important for President Muhammadu Buhari. So, it is a mourning situation and the president didn’t want to take away attention from that."

Shehu's comments, however, contradict the reasons given by another presidential aide for the President's absence at the funeral.

Lauretta Onochie, a media aide to President Buhari, in a tweet on Monday, said, "WHY PRES @MBuhari DID NOT ATTEND THE FUNERAL FOR OUR LATE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF AND THE OTHER HEROES WHO DIED IN AN AIRCRASH. For a Nigerian President to be at any funeral or event outside the Villa, the event must have at least 48 hours.”

It was however reported that Buhari spoke to Attahiru's widow, Fati, on the phone and others who lost loved ones in the crash.