The Presidency has explained the reason why journalists were excused from the meeting of the Chibok parents and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the presidential villa on Thursday, January 14.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the cameras were sent out because ‘sensitive security information may be disclosed’ and to avoid giving the impression that President Buhari ‘was exploiting their images in a photo op’.
He also denied the report that the President walked out on the Chibok parents and the BringBackOurGirls delegation.
Shehu said President Buhari was ‘called to speak at a meeting he did not start. He did his part and left so that the meeting would continue’, while adding that the ministers stayed behind to conclude the meeting.
1. We thank the BBOG_Nigeria for a good event. But that is not to say that all of the accounts of the meeting on Twitter are accurate.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
2. President @MBuhari could not have stormed out of his meeting with the #Chibok parents, stakeholders and the BBOG_Nigeria.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
3. He (President Buhari) was called to speak at a meeting he did not start. He did his part and left so that the meeting would continue.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
4. It is a simple meeting procedure. He had to leave without being disruptive.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
5. That is what happened. The ministers did not even escort him. They stayed back to conclude the meeting.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
6. I thought that the President should be praised for ending his meeting with a foreign leader to come,…
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
7. …and for the courtesy & respect he showed to the parents & the BBOG, which is undoubtedly Africa’s best known social action movement.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
8. We asked cameras out for two reasons. Sensitive security information may be disclosed.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
9. Two, privacy is not unusual with leaders around the world when they meet families in grief.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
10. We didn’t want anyone to get the sense that the President was exploiting their images in a photo op. Regards!
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) January 15, 2016
