Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

The Presidency on Saturday said there was nothing it could do to bar the crowd who thronged the Gudu Cemetery, Abuja to pay their last respects to the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Independent, Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity said they never invited the public to the funeral and couldn’t have invited soldiers to flog those who have come to pay their last respect to deceased.

He added that in their bid to ensure crowd control and social distancing, the burial was delayed and they had to proceed as more people kept trooping to the cemetery.

“Was there any invitation for the public to come for the burial? Go back to my Twitter handle and read what I posted. From 10am, when we picked up the body at the airport, we sent a message out that the funeral will be private and that the public should please go and pray for Abba Kyari”.

“We also said no condolence visits to the President and family. What can we do? Are we going to invite soldiers to flog people who came to pay their last respect to the man?”

“We didn’t invite people. We were trying to move people back and observe social distancing and it was delaying the funeral. We just have to do it because people are not ready to leave. What are we going to do?” he asked.

Shehu, in a series of tweets on Saturday, shortly after the remains of Kyari arrived at the Defence House in Abuja for his burial had said “We just received the body of Abba Kyari, the deceased Chief of Staff the President in Abuja”.

“In strict observation of the protocol put in place for the burial of Coronavirus victims by the NCDC, and the Federal Ministry of Health, the funeral prayer and burial will be private.
“Thereafter, there will be no such ceremonies as condolence visits.

“Well-meaning friends, family members and the general public are encouraged to pray for the repose of Abba Kyari’s soul,”.

https://www.independent.ng/we-never-invited-crowd-that-thronged-s-funeral-presidency/

Flabbergasted

Idiots...

It is sometimes more honorable to just keep shut instead of always trying to pull a spin and end up making a mockery of yourselves.

But you can flog innocent hungry citizens being forced out by hunger and a means to survive.

If you can't enforce a law unitarily, why get selective in dispensing justice?

The stupid Garba and Femi truly see themselves as master spin doctors including that Bashir wey dey break bottle with English for Twitter.

Na so. Nobody was shot besides, releasing the corpse to the family. One of the men that buried him was seen removing his protective garment with bare hand and even dumped it there on the roadside. Welcome to Nigeria.Rest in peace to the dead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV02T5kJqAk

But U can arrest defaulting motorists on d road abi? U can set up military checkpoints upandan to ask ppl to stay indoors and restrict movement

What a stupid and irresponsible statement.Was govt not expected to enforce the law for the sake of public safety? These core northern Nigeria barbarians always reek of utter ignorance & stupidity.

This is the most incompetent and insensitive statement ever made by any government. They can’t be flogged for coming to pay last respect to the president right hand man but the same government refuses to release the bodies of others victims that died of the virus to their families to pay their last respect. This is hypocrisy of the highest order!!

Reckless and useless talk

Why not bury him same way other victims were buried?

Charleys:
Flabbergasted

What are you still doing on NL with this moniker?

This government is just the worst in any form of hypocrisy, lawlessness & impunity ever imagined.Why does the core northern Nigeria never obey the rule of the land? Why always the discrimination based on ethnicity & religion thereby showing open partiality?

This administration has always been known for flouting their own rules, so I'm ain't surprised anymore.


Excuses upon excuses, as usual.

Awon do as I say and don't do as I do people!


Very irresponsible of them all.

But u can send police to kill Southerners who come out to find something chop abi?

See as that abokee undertaker remove the kit and dump for road to continue spreading d disease

daddytime:
Idiots...

It is sometimes more honorable to just keep shut instead of always trying to pull a spin and end up making a mockery of yourselves.

But you can flog innocent hungry citizens being forced out by hunger and a means to survive.

If you can't enforce a law unitary, why get selective in dispensing justice?

The stupid Garba and Femi truly see themselves as master spin doctors including that Bashir wey dey break bottle with English for Twitter.

You dey mind them?

Always giving irresponsible excuses!

Mad o!

If you guys had enforced it the way you do on living Nigerians, would there be a throng


Allah this government seriously dey trample on our collective intelligence.

But you can flog those who will attend my mother burial?

Bastards

But I think the total lockdown is in progress, how did all this crowd pass through the security agents without been turned back?
Did NCDC release the dead body of others to their families?
As their are lot of questions that beg for answers, I appeal for us to be careful in whatever we do.

I'm tired of this country, why can't we ever be in the news for something great?

but your watch dog can arrest Funke.

But they know how to send soldiers to come and attack ordinary citizens with guns.

Cc: lalasticlala


Modified

Meanwhile

Very Irresponsible Statement!!

But you can shoot youths in the SE and flog a woman sitting in front of her house in SW.

Sorry we forgot that this is government of the North.

Imagine his response.

Was there even supposed to be a burial in the first place?

He died with COVID-19 for Christ's sake!

Isn't handling his corpse at this very moment a health risk?

We are not even ready in this country.

You think Corona virus is a joke abi?

Over 30,000 people have died in America alone

Within 2 weeks we went from 100+ to 400+ cases - correct me if I'm wrong.


Covid-19 is REAL!

Stay safe and stay at home

But people are being shot in Southern Nigeria.

Why is Abba Kyari's burial different from others?

I people want me to say good about him

Did Garba Shehu actually say that?

I am very sure it was Lie Mohammed that Gave shenu dis speech.

Of course, Northern muslims are above the law. They can't be flogged for violating lock down and social distancing. But Southern Nigerians are not above the law so they can be flogged and even terminated by buhari's fulani security personnel for sitting infront of their houses. How many Northerners were extrajudicially murdered by Nigeria's fulani security agencies for violating lockdown? NONE!
ONE NIGERIA IS DEAD!

Honestly this administration is so shameless and full of incompetence

Funke Akindele was prosecuted for violating the social distance order.

The government that have been disturbing our peace about social distancing is now violating the same rules it made.

Fear north

Dx country Matter big pass Zuma rock.... meanwhile, Ordinary House Party wey Anty Funke and hubby do....Ekelebe nabbed both of them