Nigerian President shocked by death of protester
John Stephen Katende
16th May 2011: President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria has expressed shock over the killing of an innocent protester who was reported to have been gunned down on Entebbe road by security operatives escorting VIPs who had turned to attend the swearing-in of President Yoweri Museveni.
In a statement, the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mr. Ima Niboro said the death did not take place where President Goodluck Jonathan was, and that contrary to some earlier media reports, the President was neither attacked nor were stones thrown at his convoy.
Mr. Niboro said the President’s convoy “was not targeted” as it “passed a peaceful [opposition] procession that did not obstruct them and therefore would not have been the target of any protest”. Niboro reiterated that President Goodluck Jonathan believes in the sanctity of life and that no office was worth the life of anybody, hence his shock at the death.
According to him, Museveni’s inauguration had been completed and the President was on his way to the airport for departure when they were asked to return to their hotel due to the activities of an opposition leader who returned to the country that day. He insisted that if anybody was killed, it would be after their convoy had passed.
“…What actually happened is that after the event the president was on his way to the airport when he was requested to return to his hotel that there was an ongoing protest on his route to the airport. So the president decided to return. On the way to the hotel, the convoy passed through an area identified as a stronghold of the opposition. But the crowd was quite courteous and some even waved at us”, Niboro said.
Niboro also revealed that one particular Ugandan VIP protection jeep seemed to have entered into panic mode…and began to swerve frantically from side to side and in the process forcing passersby into a ditch. “…Those affected pelted the jeep with stones. It was a brief incident, lasting no more than a few seconds”, Niboro explained.
Niboro described as a surprise reports that painted a different picture from what happened. END. Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.
