Buhari’s CSO Expels Punch Reporter From Aso Villa Over Ill-Health Story

The Chief Security Officer to President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Abubakar, on Monday expelled PUNCH’s State House Correspondent, Olalekan Adetayo, from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Abubakar had earlier summoned Adetayo to his office and questioned him on two reports he considered uncomplimentary of Buhari and his administration.

He referred to the lead story of SUNDAY PUNCH of April 23, 2017 titled “Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buhari’s poor health” and queried the motive behind it.

He also referred to our corespondent’s column, Aso Rock Lens, published on Saturday, April 22, 2017 and titled “Seat of power’s event centres going into extinction.” PUNCH said

Abubakar asked one of his men to go and take our correspondent’s statement and revert to him.

He thereafter directed the Officer in Charge, Department of State Services, Victor Nwafor, to withdraw our correspondent’s accreditation tag and lead him out of the premises after retrieving his personal belongings from the Press Gallery of the Council Chambers.

Nwafor left an instruction at the Admin Reception that Adetayo should no longer be allowed into the premises after which he handed him over to another security operative who led our corespondent to where his car was parked to ensure he left the premises as instructed.

The Special Adviser on Media & Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, has said that no one consulted the Presidency’s spokespersons before The PUNCH correspondent in Aso Rock, Mr. Olalekan Adetayo, was expelled from his beat.

An amicable solution would be found to The Punch reporter matter. President Buhari does not intend to muzzle the media in any way.

— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) April 24, 2017

We weren't consulted in the media office by the CSO before he expelled The Punch reporter. President Buhari is committed to press freedom.

— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) April 24, 2017