The Department of State Services has been fingered in the aborted trip of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ogoniland on Thursday.

According to informed sources, the DSS advised the President to cancel, at the last minute, the trip, which was to launch the clean-up Ogoniland.

The clean up was based on a report of the United Nations Environmental Programme.

However, early on Thursday, the Presidency announced that Bihari would be represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the event.

But before the announcement, the presidential advance team made up of protocol, security, medical as well as the media, was already in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

This was an indication that the President was actually schedule dot be on the trip, sources said.
But Buhari, according to findings, was advised, for “security reasons”, to abort the trip for his own safety.

“There was no reason for the DSS not to have allowed President Buhari undertake the trip,” a top security source said, adding: “There was no apparent security threat to the President’s life despite statement credited to the new Niger Delta militant group, the Avengers, threatening the life of the President.

“It is most unfortunate that a well planned trip that would have endeared the President to the South South people was aborted at the last moment.

“This historic trip would have remained indelible in the minds of the people.

“The People of Ogoniland as well as the entire Niger Delta people were waiting anxiously to receive the President only to be told that he would be represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“The security operatives that advised him against going to the Niger Delta just destroyed the goodwill Mr. President would have enjoyed among the people.

“It is most unfortunate.

“The advice was also designed to put the National Security Adviser to the President in bad light as one who doesn’t know what he is doing.

“They have been trying to undermine his office ever since but had repeatedly failed.
“This idea of ascribing health reasons to Mr. President’s inability to travel is not healthy for the government.

“It portrays the President as a sick president and that is not the case with President Buhari.

“I advice those close to Mr. President to look into the particular issue and find a way of keeping it out of the media.”

NAN