News
Reason Atiku Was Searched – Aviation Minister Reveals
Nigeria’s Aviation minister has opened up on why security operatives searched the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has provided reasons why a search was carried out on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
He said that the search is routine, noting that even though his travel bag was searched, the former Vice President was accorded his respect.
This was revealed in a statement made available by the presidency but signed by Sirika, on Sunday.
He accused Atiku of trying to grab headlines, alleging that one conclusion at the presidential candidate’s meetings in Dubai was to engage in scaremongering.
The statement read: “This is a mischievous attempt to grab the headlines. Nigerians need to know that one of the resolutions of the Atiku team at their recently-concluded, opulently-held Dubai retreat was to embark on scaremongering. This is one of such.
“For the records, all incoming passengers on international flights go through customs, Immìgration, 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 Immìgration, customs and other security agencies. They go to the arriving aircraft as a team.
“The airport authorities confirm that this is a routine process, applying to all international arrivals, including the minister unless the passenger is the President of Nigeria.
“The President, the Vice President and passengers aboard planes on the Presidential air fleet use the Presidential wing of the airport.
“It is also important to state that even in the Presidential Wing of the airport the President of Nigeria uses, there is the presence of Immìgration and other security officials who must stamp his or her passport on arrival.
“By standard procedure, all aircraft on international arrivals must first of all park at the international wing of the aircraft. They can move to the domestic terminal only upon the completion of the arrival processes.
“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.
“Law-abiding citizens are encouraged to respect the laws of the country and our VIPs should not seek to be treated over and above the citizens, they wish to serve.”
Follow us on social media:-
Celebrity Gossip & Gist11 hours ago
Fans express anger, calls on organizers to ban Doja Cat from Met Gala after wearing wet T-Shirt and bathroom towel to event
-
News1 day ago
Drama as kidnappers sleep off after abducting pastor’s wife and two others in Ondo
-
Celebrity Gossip & Gist12 hours ago
“This is disrespectful” – Abuja barber mocks Davido as he shares a photo revealing the singer’s head structure
-
News1 day ago
“Everybody calls her a witch and she is so dark” – Angela Okorie continues to expose Mercy Johnson, slams her critics