Social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, on Monday dismissed the allegations of improper airport security checks raised by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku had on Sunday complained that he was harassed by security operatives after arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from a holiday in Dubai.
The former vice president condemned the search carried out on his private jet as an attempt to intimidate him, promising that he would ensure no Nigerian is subjected to such harrowing experience if he is elected president.
Dismissing Atiku’s claim in a Twitter post on Monday, Onochie said it was not out of place for people to be checked at the airport.
The controversial aide posted a picture of minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, going through airport security check, adding that she has been subjected to the same process too.
Lauretta accused Atiku of propagating impunity and lawlessness, nothing that Nigerians love a Nigeria where no one is above the law.
What the heck is this noise from masters of impunity, @OfficialPDPNig?
I have been searched at Airports too
So has Transport Minister Hon Amaechi & other dignitariesNigerians love a Nigeria where none is above the law. Thats where we are heading
Dont set us back to lawlessness pic.twitter.com/xIMm2GrhU2— Lauretta Onochie (@Laurestar) November 12, 2018
Minister of state for aviation, Hadi Sirika, had on Sunday said that the search carried out on Atiku was routine, noting that even though his travel bag was searched, the former vice president was accorded due respect.
In a statement signed by him, Sirika accused Atiku of trying to grab headlines, alleging that one conclusion at the presidential candidate’s meetings in Dubai was to engage in scaremongering.
“For the records, all incoming passengers on international flights go through customs, Immigration, health and security screening.
“Where the aircraft is using the private, charter wing, as the PDP Candidate did, such arrivals are met by a team of the Immigration, customs and other security agencies. They go to the arriving aircraft as a team.
“The airport authorities confirm that this is a routine process, applying to all international arrivals, including the minister unless the passenger is the President of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
