Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, says the President has to proceed with his scheduled foreign trip because one should never surrender to the antics of terrorists.
He reacted Wednesday to the criticisms that trailed the decision of the President to go ahead with his trip to participate in the International Development Association (IDA) for Africa Summit in Dakar, Senegal.
Adesina, while explaining the reasons why Buhari was traveling to Senegal, said: “Yes, the president should go because there’s an international conference meant for heads of states and presidents, he should attend. You should never give in to terrorists.
“The moment theories begin to stop you from doing things, then we might as well throw up our hands in surrender. The President should go ahead. Yes, it’s an international obligation Thank you.”
The President left Abuja amid series of attacks in the last 24 hours in Katsina and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Bandits opened fire on a convoy of his advance team in Katsina on Tuesday.
The team was heading for Daura, the president’s hometown when bandits ambushed them. In yet another Katsina attack, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, was gunned down.
Also, gunmen broke into Kuje Prison in the nation’s capital and set inmates, including high-profile Boko Haram suspects, free.
Speaking on the presidential convoy attack the briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, he said:
“The attack on the presidential convoy that were on the way to Daura yesterday (Tuesday). You know when a President travels, almost anywhere in the world, there will be an advanced team. That was the advanced team that was going to Daura.
“Mr. President himself is billed to travel to Senegal this afternoon for an international conference, he will return to Abuja tomorrow (Thursday), and thereafter proceed to his hometown, Daura for Salah, so it was the advanced team that was going ahead, made up security, protocol, media transport, all the departments that have one or two things to do with the President’s stay and comfort were the ones going ahead.
“So, shortly before they got to their destination, around Dutsinma area, you know, that place is awash with banditry. So, it was said that some group of bandits came out of the forest and engaged them. Of course, a presidential convoy will have soldiers, it will have police, it will have DSS different kinds of security men. So, there was a pitched battle and they successfully repelled the bandits who eventually had to run away. Only two people were injured in the presidential convoy, one protocol person and one other lady. They were taken to an orthopedic hospital and I’m sure they have been attended to.
“It was not said to be a life threatening wound. But maybe the Katsina police command will give further reports which will be more on the spot than what you can say from Abuja here. But what we are glad about is that it happened but then no lives were lost on the side of members of the presidential convoy.”
Asked why there was no intelligence reports on the incident, he said: “Well, intelligence is good, but it can only be as good as they say, you will never be as wise as the person stalking you or watching you. You will never be as wise as that person.”
When told that they received intelligence reports, Adesina said: “You are a media person, I’m a media person so that would not be a question for me but for the intelligence community. Thank you.”
