Confusion as soldiers stop, search Tambuwal's car in Kaduna

Soldiers caused a stir on  Monday in Kaduna when they  stopped the motorcade of the Speaker of the House of Representatives,   Aminu Tambuwal, and searched his official car.

.The incident occurred at the entrance to Hotel 17, Kaduna, venue of an International Conference on Security and Development Challenges of Pastoralism in West and Central Africa, organised by the office of the National Security Adviser.

This made the security details attached to Tambuwal to   protest but   the soldiers stood their ground. Some of the soldiers were said to have insisted that they were acting on “orders from above.”

Irked by the action of the soldiers,    Tambuwal came out of the car and trekked to the venue, a few metres away.

The theme of the conference was: “The Role of Pastoralists in Preventing Insurgency and Conflicts for Sustainable Peace and National Security.”

Tambuwal, who arrived at the venue of the conference at exactly 9.16am for the 10 am opening ceremony, had his convoy stopped by soldiers who insisted they must search his official car before he could be allowed in.

While Tambuwal's car was searched, other VIPs, including governors, who attended the conference were allowed into the hotel without hindrance.

A source, who witnessed the drama, said, “The convoy was driving to Hotel 17, the venue of the conference. The soldiers sighted the speaker's convey and picked out his car, insisting that it must be searched.

“They asked him to wind down his window glass. The speaker was shocked that even after recognising him, the soldiers still said they wanted to search his official car.”

A furious Tambuwal reportedly stormed out of his car and opted to trek to the   venue.

His Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Imam Imam, confirmed the incident .