President Muhammadu Buhari has fired Abdulrahman Mani, his chief security officer (CSO), over what insiders described as “shady deals” in fixing appointments and for “undermining” the president.
Presidency sources told TheCable that Mani committed various misdemeanours, “chief among which was a recent discovery that he was actually the one who leaked Buhari’s itinerary to Diezani Alison-Madueke when he travelled to London in May”.
Alison-Madueke, then minister of petroleum resources, had surprisingly travelled on the same British Airways flight with Buhari, sitting in the same cabin and right behind the then president-elect.
The former minister normally flew private jets in and outside the country and her presence on the flight was not considered a coincidence.
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It was alleged that she wanted to curry the favour of Buhari following a series of allegations of corruption against her, although her aides denied the claim, maintaining that she was on a private trip for her son’s graduation.
“Investigations also revealed that Mani has been actively undermining the president, working against every value the president upholds and conducting himself in such a manner as to suggest that he is out to pull down the president,” the source told TheCable.
Mani was appointed Buhari’s CSO after the presidential election in March, although he had been organising security for Buhari before then.
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Buhari also fired Widi Liman, his administrative officer, who was said to be hand-in-gloves with Mani in turning securing appointments with the president into a “business venture”.
Bashir Abubakar is the new CSO to the president while Mani has been redeployed to Ebonyi state.
Abubakar was until now an assistant director in the Bayelsa state command of the Department of State Service (DSS).
Liman, who is yet to be replaced, was a close aide to governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, while he was FCT minister. He has been transferred to Oyo state command of the DSS.
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CSO vs ADC: Battle for supremacy
Prior to his sack, Mani had been engaged in a battle of supremacy with the ADC to the president, Mohammed Abubakar, a lieutenant colonel.
Apparently acting on the orders of Buhari, Abubakar had issued a memo barring DSS personnel from locations inside the presidential villa, stating that the armed forces and the police, trained as presidential body guards (PBGs), were to “provide close/immediate protection for Mr. President henceforth”.
He warned that DSS personnel should stay away from specific areas in the premises including “Admin Reception, Service Chiefs Gate, Residence Reception, Rear Resident, Resident Gate, Office Reception, C-In-C Control Office, ACADE Gate, C-IN-C Control Gate and Panama”.
Abubakar said DSS personnel would man other duty beats and locations located within the immediate outer perimeter of the presidential villa “alongside other security forces”.
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Mani, perhaps unaware that Abubakar was carrying out the president’s instructions, issued a counter circular directing the DSS personnel to disregard the order and saying that the relevant statutes give DSS the responsibility of close protection for the president.
He argued: “Though further actions have been initiated in this regard, including routine redeployment of close body guards out of the villa, and deployment of new ones, it is important to state that the duties hitherto performed by the personnel of the DSS (SSS) in the Presidential Villa and/or any other Key Vulnerable Points (KVPs) are backed by relevant Statutes and Gazetted Instruments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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“Among others, these roles include close body protection of the President in line with standard operational procedures and international best practices.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 2 (1) (ii) of Instrument No. SSS 1 of 23rd May, 1999, made pursuant to Section 6 of the National Security Agencies (NSA) decree of 1986 which has been re-enacted as Section 6 of NSA Act CAP N74 LFN 2004, empowers personnel of the DSS to provide protective security for designated principal government functionaries including, but not limited to the President and Vice President as well as members of their immediate families.
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“It also mandates the DSS to provide protective security for sensitive installations such as the Presidential Villa and visiting foreign dignitaries. For this reason, personnel of the DSS who are on this schedule are carefully selected and properly trained both locally and abroad. Furthermore, continued background checks are maintained on them to confirm suitability and loyalty.
“In fact, the issues raised in the aforementioned circular tend to suggest that the author may have ventured into a not-too-familiar terrain. The extant practice, the world over, is that VIP protection, which is a specialised field, is usually handled by the Secret Service, under whatever nomenclature. They usually constitute the inner core security ring around every principal. The police and the military by training and mandate, are often required to provide secondary and tertiary cordons around venues and routes.
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“However, all over other security agencies including the army, the police and others have their roles to play. It is on this note that heads of all security agencies currently in the Presidential Villa and their subordinates are enjoined to key into the existing command and control structure. They are to work in harmony with each other in full and strict compliance with the demands of their statutory prescribed responsibilities.”
Buhari had become uncomfortable with the DSS for their perceived partisanship before the general election.
Ita Ekpeyong resigned as the DG of DSS on Thursday amid reports that he was forced out, while Lawan Daura was appointed to replace him in an acting capacity.
43 comments
This action will serve as a lesson to others within the presidential villa. It is a common practice in the previous administrations for people who are close to the president to negotiate sum of money to be paid before they allowed a person access to the president. Is a good decision. So fight against corruption has started from the villa.
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari may have recalled his sacked Chief Security officer (CSO), Mr Abdurahman Mani, who was relieved of his position last week.
Sources close to the seat of power told the Nigerian Tribune that the sacked CSO had been recalled to the Villa, though in another capacity.
It was gathered that the former CSO would now take charge of affairs as President Buhari’s chief detail.
It was also gathered that the CSO was yet to report in Ebonyi State when he was redesignated the chief detail.
Sources had said some forces loyal to Buhari had made case for Mani, who was regarded as loyal and dedicated throughout the course of the presidential campaign.
The former CSO had served in similar capacity to General Buhari for four years prior to his election as president.
It was gathered that some forces also moved to have the aide-de-camp, Lieutenant-Colonel M. L. Abubakar, replaced to serve as “balance of terror,” but that it was resolved that another role could be found for Mani in the security network.
The former CSO was seen as having ruffled the feathers when, on June 26, he issued a memo to counter a June 24 memo by the ADC, which announced the removal of DSS operatives from at least 10 critical duty posts in the Villa, as well as close body protection of the president.
The memo, indicated that operatives of the DSS should ignore the earlier memo by the ADC, which he claimed lacked adequate knowledge of the subject matter.
Frankly speaking I doubt if Mani will ever sale gmb 4anything I blv he is a victim of power play nd as usual except boko haram on any issue Nigerian army always win.
This is not the kind of story we are expecting from the Villa now.
All we want to hear from Buhari now is that he has pegged 1 Naira to 1 Dollar, end of Boko Haram on 31st July, payment of June salary to 25 Million youths, payment of June salary to 10 Million NYSC members, sale of petrol at 40 naira, release of money for the feeding of school children etc.
Any other news from the Villa, na wayo. Just a ploy to buy time before he left for Daura to be with his cows for the weekend from where we might leave for Cameroun.
I just hope we have not entered ONE CHANCE BUS oo.
God pass dem.
Continue to fool yourself
My dear brother, at least you should be moderate in the manner of your approach. Realising you are referring to the president of a country. I want to believe that there is element of truth in every rumour.
Now, you people are requesting for moderation in the manner in which PMB is address when you people were calling GEJ clueless and all manner of awful names you didnt know he was president of Nigeria, this is just the beginning because for whatever a man sow, that he shal reap. Whats big deal with what salam said is it anything new that PMB is a cattle rarer.
Wether u like hm or nt,hs nw ur president
Yes people with no shame can say whatever they want say as you did, you have neither fear of God nor shame.where were you when your man friday spent 6 years there.
Salam I wii sue you for making me laugh too much. But seriously, your remarks are in order based on the presidents promises. You can see that the spin merchant Liar M has stopped making more promises
Thank you Salam..
as your brothers peg it before they left
I just dey lafff,…..
Seems this character just woke up. Reminds me of PDP and its promise to rule Nigeria for 60 years. You probably forgot to add that PMB promised to marry a wife for all lazy dudes too. And he promised to arrange Owambe for all those who love sharing rumours.
War against corruption and indiscipline has earnestly began.
Delay they say is dangerous.
That is simple power play.
Almost everyone on the corridors
Of power behaves like a hawk.
Expected,power mongers will
Will be sprawling all over villa
In order to take undue advantage. The
President should have confirmed
Proofs before redeploying loyalist. However this govt is very slow. The fuel scarcity is back. There is investors apathy in the stock market because this govt seems to have no direction. Policy statements are scarce. The only response we get is…i will. Only God knows when.
The truth will surely be revealed
when PMB was trying to checkmate the what so called DSS people were shouting.but the truth is out now.PMB should no longer trust this DSS because they are moreless like informant. They are only pretending as if as they are doing their work.Rather they are only monitoring the movement and other secrets affairs of the president.
lets be patient
Pls what does your president have to hide? Can someone tell us? What is he afraid of? Truthfully I need to know what this fear of the secret service unit is all about.
@Nkem, he is also your President whether you like it or not. Too bad, you’ll have to contend with his presence for the next 4 years so, get used to it. A word of advice for you: when you get the opportunity, make yourself vulnerable by surrounding yourself with proven enemies to show that you have nothing to hide.
fight against corruption, let’s see
Just power play between †ђξ ADC and CSO and †ђξ person with the presidential support won .
Your comment..the closest bodyguards to the president are always the secret service,so if he has relieved one of his duties,he should be replaced by another secret service personnel and not the military,I wonder where he learned that one from….
What a tragedy……….just executes your promises and stop bringing issues without facts. Moreover, you have only four yes to deliver your……. No time abeg!
Having Buhari as president of Nigeria is itself an anomaly. A grossly uneducated and apparently uncivilized fellow with no experience in managing a 21st century Nigeria and make it compete with the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Nigeria is not a country but a continent where personal, ethnic and regional interests effectively cloud the general interest of the masses. How on earth did a man with 2 credit passes in his Waec get into the army? How on earth will such an ‘intelligent’ man not remember that West Germany ceased to exist in 1990? Worse still, why wouldn’t he forget the name of his hostess? So, effectively, Buhari has no presence of mind to realize which country he was visiting & who his hostess was. How can such lead in a 21st century?
oga no b by result. D oga lecturer wey do am past wetn him achieve? If GOD IS FOR US WHO FIT B AGAINST US? Pls dont b blindfolded. Na GOD PUT AM DIA, NOTHN ANYBODY FIT DO. May D LORD C HIM THRU N LET DIA B POSITIVE CHANGE FOR US ALL. Ameen. God bless NIGERIA & NIGERIANS
2 credit passes? I thought he had credits in english lang, hausa lang, geography and health science, together with good in history and a pass (7) in english lit.
Since you cannot read and count, maybe you should not be allowed to comment.
Pmb dint promiss to diliver all his campain promises in 30 days jst wait and see
PMB wears the shoe and equally knows where it pinches, hence he should deal with it appropriately. However, we expect more communication from the president on the state of the nation. He should talk to us monthly on short/medium/long term plans and achievements so far. He is too quiet and Impatient Nigerians can take him for granted
I fully support Saam and Noble comment is my opinion
Na wa……woh
for every journey there is a beginning and it always begins from home. if you cant secure your self how then do you expect him to secure the country, that the kind of courage demanded of a leader and sure he is truly one
Your comment..I like this site to be part if am permitted.
Your comment..It will do the President much good to start this war against corruption from the Villa ( Home) . It is a good beginning .
Mind ur words, That’s the President. Hmm! fighting curruption has started from the Villa. That’s a good one!
What does it say about the president if he fires someone for allegedly telling a minister his flight itinerary? I don’t think so low of him, so I refuse to believe that is Buhari’s reasoning. There is more to this story.
Your comment..GMB just carry go ,I know u can expose those thief and they mustpay sevenfold of whatever they stole. may God strenghten u to save Nigeria from wicked selfish macro organisms.
Wow lant d dss are d once colaborating with does guys that come 419 the president,ministers an govnors baba pls send dm away use ur boys
In les than barely a month people are demanding for so many things that could not be archived within the last fourteen years or so of the fast administrations. This is a mindless thinking, people should try to be fair to this Administration and give it a the nesesary support and prayers it needs
It’s real one chance .
@ Salam. How much PDP pay u make u comment Dat nonsense. Una say PMB no civilised? D so called skuler wey stay there 4 6 years, wetin e do? 6 gud years wey rich pickin finish primary skulu. Wetin e take am do….
Your comment..the president is surrounding himself with fools,common this guy Mani did not organise the journey the protocol people did and I know what am talking about , why we did not hear all these stories before their supremacy battle with the military guys , if the president don’t want to work with him its understandable but for God’s sake they should stop lying against this man who has been serving him since 2011without any complain. where were these guys then?