By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Nigeria after a four-day visit to France on Wednesday, May 19.
On Friday, May 21, his Army Chief, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru dies in an aeroplane crash in Kaduna, along with other military brass. The burial was fixed the next day in Abuja, a stone throw from Aso Villa. Buhari was not one of the mourners at the cemetery.
For a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Buhari’s absence at the burial was curious.
He said: “I too cannot understand how @MBuhari can travel to France but not be available to travel inside Abuja for the burial of his own Chief of Army Staff, #COAS. What #SecretCult forbids him.”
A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on social media, Reno Omokri also took a swipe at Buhari.
” Sad that General @MBuhari did not attend the burial of the late Chief of Army Staff, General Attahiru. He was represented by his Defence Minister. Attahiru died serving Nigeria. Buhari, who went to Paris for 4 days, could not go to Attahiru’s funeral for 30 minutes.”
For journalist, Jafar Jafar, this is not the first time. He said: “In January 2016, Buhari attended the memorial service of 100 Kenyan soldiers killed by Alshabab, but didn’t attend the funeral/memorial service for hundreds of Nigerian soldiers killed by Boko Haram in Gudunbali in November 2015. #BuhariLacksEmpathy for Nigerians!.”