Security Operatives Surround El- Rufai’s Abuja House

Security operatives, yesterday, in Abuja
invaded the home of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai,
Deputy National Secretary of the nation’s
leading opposition party, the All Peoples
Congress, APC.
.
It was learnt that the security operatives arrived
first at the House located at 12 Mambilla Street,
off the highbrow Aso Drive at about 7 am when
El-Rufai had driven his children to school. They
repeated their visit at about 2 pm.
.
When contacted by phone, El-Rufai , a one time
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under
the administration of President Olusegun
Obasanjo confirmed the incident.
.
It was gathered that during the morning visit by
the security operatives, they attempted forcing
themselves into the house but later changed
their minds.
.
Gregory Bassa, a security guard at El-Rufai’s
House narrated the incident when he spoke to
news men who visited the House yesterday.
.
Said he: “The security operatives were armed
and they came in three vehicles. One of the
vehicles was farther away along the road, while
two of them were parked in front of this house. I
even challenged them and told them not to
park in front of the house before they identified
themselves as security operatives.”
.
He continued: “When they said they wanted to
see Mallam El Rufai, I told them that he wasn’t
at home.
.
But they insisted that they wanted to see either
his wife, child or any of his relatives. I insisted
that nobody was at home”.
.
He continued: “They asked me how he could be
reached in case there is an emergency in the
house. I replied that I didn’t know how to
contact him because I am a security guard
working with a company. I was only posted here
for duty by my company. I told them it was only
my company that gave me instructions.”
.
He continued: “ One of them asked me whether
I had El Rufai’s phone number and I replied that
I didn’t.
.
Another one asked me whether I owned a
mobile phone, I replied yes and he asked for the
phone. I gave it to him”.
.
Bassa said that his phone was later returned to
him by the security operatives.
.
Meanwhile, a statment by El-Rufai’s image
maker, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, stated that the
former FCT Minister will continue to do his
patriotic duty of challenging INEC and the
security agencies to guarantee the climate for
free and fair elections in Nigeria by desisting
from partisanship and the embrace of impunity.
.
However, the All Progressive Congress, APC, has
strongly condemned the harassment of its
Deputy National Secretary, describing “as a
shameful overkill” the stoming of his residence
by armed DSS operatives yesterday without
any arrest warrant.’
.
There were indications that security operatives
were still monitoring the house as at yesterday
afternoon, as some strange men were noticed
observing the activities of journalists who had
trooped to the house to confirm the veracity of
the information concerning invasion of the El-
Rufai’s residence.
.
It would be recalled that the Department of
State Security Service, DSS, had reportedly
invited El- Rufai for a chat last Thursday.
.
Although the reason for the invitation was not
known, it was learnt it was in connection with a
statement attributed to him that there might
be violence if the 2015 general elections were
not free and fair.
.
While speaking at the Transformed to
Transform, T2T Nigeria, Conference and Career
Fair, a leadership and empowerment initiative
for the National Youth Service Corps members
in Abuja last Wednesday, the APC Deputy
Secretary said, the elections could be marred
by riots and other forms of violence that might
lead to loss of lives and properties unless the
Independent National Electoral Commission,
INEC, and the security agencies ensured they
were free and fair.
.
It was, however. gathered that El-Rufai,
declined the invitation because of a pending
suit he filed against the DSS over his detention
at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, during last
November’s governorship election in the state.