Hanan Buhari, daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, says she never reported to the Department of State Services (DSS) that someone was using her old SIM card.
A trader, Anthony Okolie, had sued her, DSS, and telecoms firm MTN for N500 million at a Federal High Court in Asaba following his 10-week detention.
Mr Okolie was arrested on July 19, 2019, in Asaba, Delta for using a telephone line that was previously owned by Ms Buhari.
In a counter-affidavit to the originating motion filed by Okolie, Hanan said although she received complaints from relatives that someone was using her old SIM card to solicit money, she never reported the matter to the DSS.
She had filed a written address in opposition to the originating motion on notice, denying allegations that she trampled on the trader’s rights.
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba directed her, through her lawyer, M.E. Sheriff, to respond to the allegations.
In an affidavit deposed to on her behalf by a man named Idris Abdullahi, the president’s daughter said she should not have been joined in the suit because she had no idea that Okolie was arrested.
Part of the affidavit read: “I was informed by the 2nd respondent (Hanan) in our office on February 15, 2020, around 4 pm… that she never made any complaint against any Mr Anthony Okolie to any officer in State Security Service or any other law enforcement agency.
“That she was not privileged to even know anybody with the name Anthony Okolie and has never reported him or any other person to any law enforcement agency in Nigeria or any other country throughout her life.
“That although she was not happy with the public complaint that someone had been using her old SIM card to solicit for financial assistance using her name, she never complained to any authority and she was not aware that the person’s name was Anthony Okolie until the media published it.”
According to her, no one should be punished for using a SIM card that was previously owned by another person as long as it was not used for fraud.
MTN and DSS have yet to file a counter-affidavit to the suit.
