I did not assault airport official nor flout COVID-19 protocols- former governor, Abdulaziz Yari replies FAAN

Immediate past governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, has denied claims made by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN that he assaulted an airport official at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport last Saturday, July 11.

On Wednesday, July 15, FAAN took to its official Twitter handle to call out the former governor for allegedly flouting the COVID-19 protocol and assaulting one of its officials at the Kano International Airport last Saturday. The aviation authority claimed Yari insisted he was a VIP and should be excused.

However, in a statement issued by his media aide, Mayowa Oluwabiyi, Yari such a thing never happened and demanded a retraction and apology from FAAN. He also threatened to file a lawsuit against former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who attacked him after seeing FAAN’s tweets.

Yari’s statement reads

“We wish to state categorically that His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari did pass through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on the said day but did not assault any airport official. He also followed all the COVID 19 preventive protocols set by FAAN.

The incident cited in the tweet simply never happened. H.E Abdulaziz Yari finds the tweet odious and distasteful, he therefore demands that FAAN retract the offensive tweet and tender an immediate public apology to him for the falsehood published about his person.

His Excellency Abdulaziz Yari also noted the unwarranted and needlessly vicious attack on his person and reputation by the former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-kayode via his Twitter handle @realffk as a result of the tweet from FAAN earlier on Wednesday.

We wish to re-affirm that H.E Abdulaziz Yari, the former governor of Zamfara state is a law-abiding Nigerian who will never resort to violence on any issue whatsoever.

H.E Yari holds the Federal Government of Nigeria in very high esteem and supports all steps taken by the Presidential Task Force on COVID 19 to fight the deadly pandemic.

However, the vicious attack on the person and reputation of H.E Abdulaziz Yari cannot be winked at. Mr. Femi Fani-kayode will hear from H.E Yari’s lawyers in due course in order to set the record straight.”