Few hours after The PUNCH reporter, Olaleken Adetayo, was expelled from Aso Rock, by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Abubakar, the reporter has been recalled to his duty post by the Presidency.
This development was revealed last night to LEADERSHIP by the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who said that the expulsion has been reversed. He further revealed that it was the Director General, Directorate of
State Services (DSS) Alhaji Lawal Daura who ordered the reversal of the expulsion order.
It would be recalled that the CSO to President Buhari, Bashir Abubakar, had expelled The PUNCH reporter, Olaleken Adetayo from Aso Rock over a report on the president’s health.
The PUNCH had published a story titled, “ Fresh Anxiety At Aso Rock Over Buhari’s Health”, on Sunday. Adetayo was summoned yesterday by the chief security officer to the president leading to the collection of his access tag to the villa.
The CSO had earlier summoned Adetayo to his office and questioned him on two reports he considered uncomplimentary of Buhari and his administration.
According to the reporter, the CSO referred to the lead story of
SUNDAY PUNCH of April 23, 2017, titled: “Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buhari’s health” and queried the motive behind it.
He said that the security chief also referred to his column, Aso Rock Lens, published on Saturday, April 22, 2017, and titled: “Seat of power’s event centres going into extinction.”
According to Adetayo, the CSO asked one of his men to take his
(Adetayo) statement and revert to him and thereafter, he directed the Officer in Charge, Department of State Services, Victor Nwafor, to withdraw his accreditation tag and led 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 him to where his car was parked to ensure he left the premises as instructed.
It would be recalled that President Buhari had upon assumption of office in May 2015, retrieved the accreditation of Ubale Musa, a DeutchWalle correspondent who faced a similar circumstance towards the tail end of the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.