President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday was back at Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu District, Abuja, where his son, Yusuf, injured in a motorbike accident, was hospitalised.
But the security situation around the hospital remained tense, as policemen screened those gaining entry into the medical facility.
The President, who got there around 6pm, had on Thursday alongside his wife and Yusuf’s mother, Aisha, visited the hospital.
A guard near the hospital told one of our correspondents that the First Lady slept overnight till Friday.
At about 5.30pm when one of our correspondents got to the hospital, Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir el-Rufai, also arrived to check on Yusuf.
El-Rufai spent about 20 minutes at the hospital.
“Dignitaries have not stopped coming. We see luxury cars every 10 minutes, we see police escorts; I can’t mention everyone who has visited today.
“But the wife of the President slept in the hospital. She is still with the injured son,” the guard who pleaded anonymity, said.
It was learnt that Yusuf’s friend, Bashir Gwandu, was also at the Intensive Care Unit of Cedar Crest Hospital, Abuja.
The President’s son had collided with Gwandu during a motorbike race on Tuesday night in Abuja.
Yusuf’s younger sister, Hanan, said his brother was doing well.
Hanan, in a message on Instagram, stated, “Yusuf is doing well. Alamdulilahi. Thank you for all the messages.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Friday denied a report that the President’s wife, Aisha, had been admitted to the hospital, where her son was being treated.
It stated that there was no truth in the news that Aisha suffered shock after she was told about the motorbike accident involving Yusuf.
“I have not been briefed about that,” Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, simply said on the telephone when contacted.
Director of Information in the Office of the President’s wife, Mr Suleiman Haruna, was emphatic that nothing of such happened.
“There is absolutely nothing like that. People can be so wicked in their thinking. Since her son is in the hospital, is there anything wrong with her being with her son? The news is false, there is nothing wrong with her,” Haruna said.
Buhari on Friday joined Muslim faithful to pray for the quick recovery of his son. The prayer session formed part of the Jumat prayers held in a mosque at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Government officials who participated in the session alongside the President were Nasarawa State Governor, Mr Tanko Al-Makura; Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu; and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Maikanti Baru.
The prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Aso Rock Mosque, Mr Abdulwahid Suleiman.
Others in the prayer session were presidential aides, villa staff, among others.
Suleiman urged the first family to accept the tragedy in good fate.
He prayed for God’s guidance and protection of the first family and all Nigerians.
The clergyman also prayed for peace and tranquility in the country. A similar prayer session was held on Thursday in the same mosque.
Punch