Eid-el-Kabir: I Was Not Stoned - Saraki

Following news reports that Nigeria’s senate president, Bukola Saraki, was attacked at the Eid Prayer Ground during the prayers to mark the Eid-el-Kabir in Ilorin earlier today, Thursday, September 24, the embattled former governor has denied the reports.

Mr Saraki who spoke through his media office said he was never attacked nor was there any attempt made on his life to warrant him being ‘whisked away’ as reported by a section of the media.

Saraki said he had earlier spoke with reporters at the prayer ground as he arrived in the company of the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness (HRH), Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ali Ahmad and a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore.

“We want to say that nothing can be further from the truth as the Senate President was never attacked nor was there any attempt made on his life to warrant him being ‘whisked away’ as reported by a section of the media.

“We however observe that there was a protest allegedly staged by local government employees over purported non-payment of salaries which hoodlums attempted to hijacked but this development was immediately curtailed by security agents.

“Therefore, to say that the Senate President was attacked at the venue of the prayers is totally false and a figment of the imagination of those behind the story because the protest was never targeted at him, neither was any missile hurled at him,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has stated that majority of the workers in the state have received their salaries and that those yet to receive theirs will do so on Monday as Thursday and Friday of this week are public holidays.