We’ve been neglected, Buhari’s presidential campaign bodyguards cry out

The bodyguards of President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 presidential campaigns are spoiling for trouble if the president does not employ them “as he promised”. 

The ex-bodyguards, ex-protocol officers and members of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) converged on Buhari’s campaign office in Abuja on Thursday to express their anger over their alleged neglect by the president.

Olabiyi Balogun, a leader of the group, said they were engaged during the presidential campaign, and that they travelled with Buhari to the 36 states of the federation and provided him with security and protocol services.

He described their “neglect” as unfortunate, saying that they worked hard for Buhari but have been abandoned since he became president.

“We were his bodyguards and protocol officers throughout the campaign and inauguration. Some of us were posted to the defence house without being given a dime,” he said.

“They gave us N20, 000 each in January and February 2015 as allowance, and since then we have not been paid a kobo. We have lost three of our members who were butchered by unknown gunmen in the course of our duty.”

Balogun claimed that the Buhari campaign team did not make any attempt to compensate the families of their members who lost their lives.

Audu Odameo, another member of the group,  threatened that if Buhari failed to employ members of the group as he promised, they would be left with no other option but “to make public and expose the secret they have at their disposal”.

“He appointed and gave jobs to all members of his families and relatives but abandoned those of us who have worked assiduously and put our lives on the line,” he said.

The protesters also alleged that Lawal Babachir, secretary to the government of the federation, and Abba Kyari, chief of the staff to the president, were the ones behind their plight.

Editor’s Note: Jide Oyekunle provided additional reporting