Presidency Threatens To Punish Officials For Information Leakage

President Muhammadu Buhari with the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari at the State House, Abuja

Workers attached to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, have been warned to desist from leaking contents of official letters and files or risk serious sanctions.

The Punch report continues:

The Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, handed down the warning late on Monday, during a send-off programme organized for some officials who retired recently or were redeployed from his office.

While recalling how a document signed by him found its way out of his office illegally recently, Kyari said such development would no longer be tolerated.

He said anybody linked to any leaked information would face the consequence.

Kyari added, “One thing we cannot tolerate is letters and information going out of this office. I have seen one with my signature shown to me.

“I do not know who was responsible for that; I do not know why anyone should do that; but please make sure that such a thing does not happen.

“Anything that is written will come out anyway; it is not a secret; but the bad thing is for it to come out before it is publicly made by the relevant authorities.

“So, please do not fall into this trap of somebody asking you to bring a letter, because if by accident, you are found or the letter is traced to you, clearly it would not be something that we would tolerate.”

Kyari also warned the workers against gossiping during working hours.

He said he would not allow a situation where the officials will engage in “small talks” at the expense of their jobs.

While asking them to be more dedicated to duty, the President’s CoS directed that files must henceforth be treated within 48 hours.

Kyari stated, “We should remain and rededicate ourselves, not making rooms for small talks or gossip; concentrate and do your job.

“What I want to announce now is that very soon, when a full team is constituted, the turn-around for any mail should not be more than 48 hours.

“If you think you cannot turn it out within 48 hours, then I should know the reason. Maybe you have to ask some questions from somewhere.

“Please, let no mail remain on anybody’s desk for more than 48 hours.”

Kyari also warned against situations where workers used the opportunity of working in the Presidential Villa to seek favour or dupe members of the public.

He said he heard about an allegation that some people paid US$40,000 to be given the opportunity of meeting the President.

He, however, said he had since discovered the allegation to be mere blackmail.

“This office is not about giving contracts. This office is not about peddling influence.

This office is not about being paid to make somebody see the President,” he said.

Kyari said all Nigerians must be ready to make sacrifices for the desired change to be achieved.

He noted that because Buhari’s only asset was integrity, it was his duty to protect the President’s integrity.

“We have a President whose only asset is his personal integrity. I do not want anything that will touch his integrity. So, I have to protect that, regardless of what anybody says,” he said.