FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday reported at the State Security Service, SSS, disclosing that the mood there changed and became very friendly.
According to him, plans by the Federal Government to charge him to court were dropped.
It will be recalled that El-Rufai was arrested on Saturday at Abuja airport as he arrived from London aboard a British Airways flight and was released to go home by the SSS at 9am on Sunday. He was asked to return to the SSS headquarters yesterday, at 9am.
El-Rufai, who was accompanied by the Publisher, Thisday Newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, and his lawyer, AU Mustapha, arrived at 9am and spent 30 minutes at the office of the SSS director-general, even as he vowed to continue in informed discourse that will promote democracy.
When contacted by Vanguard on his encounter with the SSS, the former Minister, who noted that the visit went well and became a dialogue, stressed that discussions like “President Goodluck Jonathan is your friend and there was the need to cooperate with him came up,” adding that there was no threat from the government that he must not write. He said rather, there was call for all hands to be on deck in nation building.
According to him, “the meeting went well, the mood changed and became very friendly, it was talk like President Goodluck Jonathan is your friend, there is the need to support the government by all”.
“I think the atmosphere must have changed because of the role Nigerians and the media played, I feel humbled and grateful to everyone for their concerns and interest.”
On whether he was asked to stop talking and writing, El-Rufai said: “No, nobody asked me to stop talking and writing, it was simply a friendly dialogue between us.”
When asked if the government will still charge him to court, the former Minister said, “all the talk about charging me to court were dropped.”
Earlier, his Media Advisor, Muyiwa Adekeye, said in a statement that “Mallam Nasir El Rufai visited the SSS headquarters today. This was at the instance of the security agency which requested that he report to them at 9am today (yesterday), following his arrest on Saturday.
“Mallam El Rufai had a chat with the SSS Director-General, after which he returned home. He was accompanied by Thisday publisher, Nduka Obaigbena, and AU Mustapha, El Rufai’s lawyer.
“El Rufai wishes to thank Nigerians for their support and kind words following the arrest. He intends to continue to play a robust role in promoting the type of informed discourse that promotes democracy.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAccording to him, plans by the Federal Government to charge him to court were dropped.
It will be recalled that El-Rufai was arrested on Saturday at Abuja airport as he arrived from London aboard a British Airways flight and was released to go home by the SSS at 9am on Sunday. He was asked to return to the SSS headquarters yesterday, at 9am.
El-Rufai, who was accompanied by the Publisher, Thisday Newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, and his lawyer, AU Mustapha, arrived at 9am and spent 30 minutes at the office of the SSS director-general, even as he vowed to continue in informed discourse that will promote democracy.
When contacted by Vanguard on his encounter with the SSS, the former Minister, who noted that the visit went well and became a dialogue, stressed that discussions like “President Goodluck Jonathan is your friend and there was the need to cooperate with him came up,” adding that there was no threat from the government that he must not write. He said rather, there was call for all hands to be on deck in nation building.
According to him, “the meeting went well, the mood changed and became very friendly, it was talk like President Goodluck Jonathan is your friend, there is the need to support the government by all”.
“I think the atmosphere must have changed because of the role Nigerians and the media played, I feel humbled and grateful to everyone for their concerns and interest.”
On whether he was asked to stop talking and writing, El-Rufai said: “No, nobody asked me to stop talking and writing, it was simply a friendly dialogue between us.”
When asked if the government will still charge him to court, the former Minister said, “all the talk about charging me to court were dropped.”
Earlier, his Media Advisor, Muyiwa Adekeye, said in a statement that “Mallam Nasir El Rufai visited the SSS headquarters today. This was at the instance of the security agency which requested that he report to them at 9am today (yesterday), following his arrest on Saturday.
“Mallam El Rufai had a chat with the SSS Director-General, after which he returned home. He was accompanied by Thisday publisher, Nduka Obaigbena, and AU Mustapha, El Rufai’s lawyer.
“El Rufai wishes to thank Nigerians for their support and kind words following the arrest. He intends to continue to play a robust role in promoting the type of informed discourse that promotes democracy.”
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