The
Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, has explained why an officer
of the State Security Service (SSS) cleaned the shoes of the minister of
Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, in public.
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times had on Saturday exclusively published a 30-second video clip showing an armed security official
cleaning Mr. Dambazau’s shoes at the NSCDC Academy in December.
Mr.
Dambazau, who oversees the NSCDC, police, customs, immigration and prisons,
came under severe criticism by Nigerians, following the release of the footage
by this newspaper.
But
a statement by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Okeh Emmanuel, justified the action
of the security personnel and absolved the minister of blame.
“However,
the news being peddled by some online media houses, alleging that the
Honourable Minister of Interior LT. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) converts
SSS officer to a “shoe shiner” is baseless, fraudulent and malicious.
“It
is a diversionary tactics of the evil ones to cast aspersion on the personality
of the minister.
“The
honourable minister who was on a visit to NSCDC facilities at Sauka never
beckoned on any of his aides to come and clean his shoe as alleged.
“Rather,
if the “aide” carried out such a function, it means it was done voluntarily
without any iota of compulsion.
“The
demonstration by the SSS personnel was a mark of respect for his principal
since he was not compelled to do so.
“It
should also be noted that a man of the calibre of the minister, who was
one-time Chief of Army Staff is entitled to aides that could help in ensuring
that he looks neat at all times,” said Mr. Emmanuel.
The
statement also said Mr. Dambazau is currently on a “working visit to the
North-East to assess the condition of the affected victims of insurgent attacks
presently at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Borno, Yobe and
Adamawa States”.
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