Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday apologised as his security aides beat up a photojournalist with the Vanguard Newspapers, attached to the State House, Abayomi Adeshida. This happened at the State House Banquet Hall during the opening of the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission chaired by Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
This was two days after 35 aides of Osinbajo were reportedly sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a tweet, said the incident was “regretted”, but had been resolved “and I’ve apologised to him for any embarrassment caused.” Adeshida had alleged that he was taking shots of the vice president taking a tour of the exhibition stands at the event when five personnel of the Department of State Security pounced on him. He said Osinbajo was, at that moment, being presented a copy of magazine as souvenir at a particular stand.
Adeshida, who said he was not told what he did wrong, alleged that the security details hit and dragged him on the floor. Adeshida, who said his camera was damaged, added: “I was shocked when these DSS men started beating me for no apparent reason. They tore my Presidential Villa accreditation tag on the shirt and dragged me on the floor while hitting me and kicking me.”