Zulum and Shettima never visited Abba Kyari, aide clarifies

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and his immediate-past predecessor, Kashim Shettima, have denied visiting suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari, saying they do not know the residence of embattled officer.

Mr Kyari is facing probe after indictment by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, in a $1.1m Hushpuppi fraud.

Mr Zulum’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, made the clarification in a statement sent to DAILY NIGERIAN on Wednesday.

Mr Gusau said he resorted to issuing the clarification since Mr Kyari, who promised to issue clarification himself, did not do so more than four hours after making the promise to the spokesman.

Mr Gusau said a video in circulation was recorded by some associates of Mr Kyari at the residence of Mr Shettima in Abuja on June 30, 2021, when Kyari paid a visit to him, following rumours that the senator had died in the UK.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that Mr Kwari also met Mr Zulum and exchanged contacts at the senator’s residence during his visit.

“Kyari himself had shared the same video on his verified facebook wall on June 30, shortly after he visited Shettima. See link to Kyari’s facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/100002701927599/posts/3592594017507294/?d=n

“Kyari who hails from Borno State and in Shettima’s constituency visited the former Governor to wish him well like many others had visited the Senator during the time,” the media aide said.

Mr Gusau also released a video of some sympathizers who had also visited the senator the same period, which showed the senator receiving them in his house, the same place being described as Mr Kyari’s house.

He also pointed observers to take note of the TV behind Messrs Zulum and Kyari with a CNN breaking news on the release of American comedian and actor, Bill Cosby, which happened on June 30, 2021.

The spokesman called on Mr Kyari to issue a similar clarification as he had promised when the spokesman called his attention to the misrepresentation given the fact it was Kyari himself who took that video and released it on his Facebook page on June 30, 2021.

“Pls see video of visit by other sympathizers, link to Kyari’s post on June 30, 2021, and compare with the same video in circulation, claiming Zulum and Shettima had visited Kyari:https://www.facebook.com/100002701927599/posts/3592594017507294/?d=n”