‘I did not attack President Buhari’

TRACKING____The man alleged to have attacked President Muhammadu Buhari at the Argungu Fishing Festival on Thursday has denied doing so.

Mohammed Jamilu Gunddare said that he merely wanted to shake the President whose “outstanding virtues” he claims to adore.

“I was emotionally attached to his outstanding virtues of honesty and craved to shake him,” Gunddare, told reporters in Birnin Kebbi.

A newspaper had reported that he was shot in the leg after ‘attacking’ the president and thereafter whisked away by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and tortured.

But Gunddare, who was flanked my Information Minister Lai Mohammed and Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State said: “I am alive and the DSS never tortured me; nobody ever tortured me, I was well cared for and given food.”

Also speaking, Mohammed said: “All the stories about him trying to attack Mr. President are false. Even the story that he has been shot by the Police or DSS is false.”

The Presidency had earlier dismissed the video of the ‘attack’ as “a work of mischief makers.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said in a statement that Gunddare was “indeed an enthusiastic youth, who was too excited to hold himself back, seeing his President in the flesh.”

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari was in Kebbi State Thursday to declare open the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival.

“It was the first time the international tourism event would hold in eleven years, as security considerations had rendered it impracticable.

“As the President went round the arena to inspect rice pyramids on display, and take photographs with farmers, a young man was so very excited to see his President so close. He made an attempt to get to him.

“World over, such would not be allowed by security details. The young man was prevented, and he protested that he should be allowed to greet his President.

“Now, professional contortionists are making mischief of the event. They are passing the video clip off on social media as an attempt to attack the President.”