Nigerians react to video of Aisha Buhari complaining she was being held hostage

Twitter users have reacted to the video shot at the Presidential Villa by Daura’s daughter, Fatima, which went viral online on Friday.

In the video, the President’s wife, Aisha Buhari, was heard asking questions and making comments about being locked out of a room and demanding that some people should pack their belongings and leave the apartment.

Aisha, in an interview with BBC hausa on Monday, accused Fatima of recording the incident while the security detail did nothing because the culprit was Mamman Daura’s daughter.

The first lady said, “I was the one in the video, those behind me were the security personnel given to protect me, but Mamman Daura’s daughter, Fatima, shot the video in the presence of security officials and everybody. She was laughing at me because my husband said they should vacate the place for my son to occupy.

“I wanted to pass through that door to go into a store but they closed the door. I took an alternative route but the door was still locked.”

Fatima also in an interview with BBC hausa said she shot the video with her phone “in case something happens.”

She said, “Her comments frightened me. She was hurling insults and shouting that she had never seen anything like it.

“I went back and took my (mobile) phone because if you went and said she acted the way she did, nobody would believe you (without evidence).

“She was making a lot of noise saying she was being oppressed. I filmed the encounter to show our parents and security officials for them to see in case something happens. From the way she was screaming, I even thought she would pick up something to hit us or something like that.”

Well, some Nigerians on Twitter have expressed their support for Fatima while others criticised her for defying the First Lady.

Emmanuel Ukeme said, “So, these illegal occupants of Aso Rock are being fed, accommodated, etc. at the expense of the Nigerian state, using taxpayers’ money. So, does anyone still have a doubt about the Aso Rock cabals now? @aishambuhari, a mother of the nation, Nigerians are solidly behind you.”

Also, @movtOfDPeople said, “In what capacity are you residing in the Presidential Villa, Miss Fatima Mamman Daura? You’re neither elected nor have any official appointment, yet you are waging war against the only known wife of the President. Your guts in going to town with this exposes hidden truth.”

However, @orenjur, stated, “Why blame Mamman Daura for bringing his family to the Villa? Was it not Buhari that gave him the Glass House in the Villa? We should be blaming Buhari for not putting his house in order.”

@Gimbason_E also said, “The Buhari presidency is already in a shambles. How come Mamman Daura has so much power to the extent that his daughter can say that about the President’s wife?

But a non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, said there were issues to be addressed on the incident.

The Executive Director, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, in an interview with journalists, said although there were issues to be addressed on how the incident had affected the President’s immediate family, there was nothing wrong with him giving an apartment to his relative.

Adeniran said once a person became the executive head of an organisation, they had so many powers concentrated in their hands.

According to him, Buhari, as President, also has some opportunities he could utilise on behalf of whomever he thinks deserves some favours.

He said, “What we cannot say is that the activities of such a person (relation) will be inimical to the growth, development, security and welfare of the people that are in the immediate environment of the President. It doesn’t matter the relationship somebody has with another.

“If it were ordinarily accommodating a third party to the family and it was, in the opinion of the President, necessary to do so, I don’t see anything wrong in that.”

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