Accidental Discharge: Presidency disowns operative

The Presidency has disowned the security official involved in Wednesday accidental discharge which injured ‎a female staff working at the Presidential villa.

It said the operative, whose name was not disclosed, is not attached to the State House.

A statement made available to newsmen on Thursday said the security official was in the villa on Wednesday as a witness in an ongoing investigation and was required, as is the rule, to surrender his weapon at the gate before entry.

According to the statement signed by Senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, “Investigation revealed that the operative” was conducting the normal safety precaution as professionally required when the pistol accidentally fired.

“The lady by his side, a caterer was hit by a pellet of the bullet. Both of them were attended to at the clinic and discharged.”

Recall that the female staff working in the Presidential villa, Abuja had on Wednesday sustained minor injuries when the weapon in the possession of the operative went off inadvertently.

The identity of the woman could not be confirmed, but it was learnt that she sustained injuries on her thigh, and a significant part of her back.

Both the security official and the woman have been attended to at the Aso villa clinic and have since been discharged‎, the statement said last night.