Contrary to denial by the Presidency that operatives of the Department of State Services were not ordered out of the villa, Vanguard insists that that the Aide-de-Camp, ADC, to the President has formally informed the DSS that its personnel would no longer provide close body protection for the President as they are being replaced with men of the Nigerian Army and Police personnel “who were trained as Presidential Bodyguards.”

Vanguard reported, yesterday, that ADC to the President, Lt. Col Abubakar Lawal, ordered personnel of the DSS out of the villa and replaced them with men of the Nigerian Army.

However, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has given no such order.  While it is true that a reorganization of security at the Presidential Villa which involves the realignment of personnel from various services is underway, the exercise does not translate to the expulsion of DSS personnel from the premises in any way. The changes being made are routine adjustments which are not unexpected in any dynamic environment from time to time.”

But in a memo Vanguard claimed to have seen written by the President’s ADC, he stated that  DSS personnel have been withdrawn from close body protection of the President and are being replaced by members of the Nigerian Army and the Police, adding that he was acting “sequel to directives.”

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