Featured Motorbike accident: Anxiety over health of Buhari’s son

There was anxiety on Thursday over the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf, who was involved in a power bike accident in Abuja on Tuesday night.

Yusuf, who sustained a head injury and had one of his limbs broken, was said to have undergone a successful surgery at the Ceda Crest Hospital, Abuja.

It was gathered that he was involved in a power bike race with a friend in the Gwarinpa area of Abuja when he was involved in the crash.

The presidential spokesman, Garuba Shehu, had, in a statement on Wednesday, said, “Yusuf Buhari had a bike accident last night around Gwarimpa in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

 “He broke a limb and had an injury to the head as a result. He has undergone surgery at a clinic in Abuja. He is in a stable condition.”

On Thursday, besides his father and mother, Aisha, prominent politicians thronged the hospital to visit Yusuf.  Sources said Yusuf had not regained full consciousness.

While prominent politicians were visiting Yusuf at the hospital, his father’s aides and clerics were conducting a prayer session for him at a mosque in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A source in the hospital, who said Yusuf’s condition had yet to improve, told one of our correspondents that his parents visited him on Thursday morning.

One of our correspondents got the hospital at 3.30pm on Thursday when Senate President Bukola Saraki visited Yusuf.

It was observed that security presence around the hospital was still tight as policemen and officers of the Department of State Services screened entrants onto the premises.

A relation of a patient in the hospital, known only as Abubakar, who was privy to the wards, told The PUNCH on Thursday that the hospital had been besieged by a fresh set of top government visitors including the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and his Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajimobi.

“I don’t think he (Yusuf) can be discharged so quickly. It is a head condition. More guests have been arriving at the hospital. I took a lift with the Oyo State and Ogun State governors at the time they came to check on the President’s son.

“There were other dignitaries who came but could not be easily identified because of the heavy security personnel around them,” he added.

One of our correspondents counted seven armed policemen around the premises while two police vans were stationed by the gates.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said there was no truth in a report that Yusuf had been flown abroad. “That is not true please,” Shehu simply replied an enquiry by The PUNCH.

The prayer session for Yusuf was held inside a mosque located near the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

It was held shortly after the (Asr) afternoon prayer. The session was led by the Chief Imam of Aso Rock Mosque, Sheik Abdulwahid Suleiman.

Suleiman prayed for God’s guidance and protection for the first family and all Nigerians. The clergyman also prayed for peace and tranquillity in the country.

Some presidential aides and Presidential Villa workers joined the prayer session.

Jonathan, PDP, Atiku, Fayose pray for President’s son

Meanwhile, the PDP, in a statement on Thursday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, expressed shock at the news of the involvement of Yusuf in a power bike accident.

The main opposition party said it was however gratifying that Yusuf “is in a steady condition.”

The statement said, “We are however reassured by reports from the Presidency that he is in a steady condition.

“The PDP, as a family, prays for Yusuf’s speedy recovery to enable him to return to normal life.”

On his part, former Goodluck Jonathan described the accident as bad news. The former President prayed for Yusuf’s quick recovery.

The former President, on his Twitter handle, stated, “I have been in Liberia, monitoring elections, and only just heard the sad news. My family and I are in prayers for the quick recovery of Yusuf Buhari.

“It is my deep desire that a young man so full of promise should live and thrive to fulfil the promises God has domiciled in him.”

Also, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on his twitter handle, commiserated with the first family.

“Our thoughts are with the first family – our family will be praying for you. We wish Yusuf a speedy recovery,” he said.

On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, on his Twitter handle on Thursday, prayed that God would be with the President’s family at this trying time.

He said, “I wish the President’s son speedy recovery. May the healing hands of the Almighty God be upon the young man and may God be with the first family at this trying time.

“God, who is the giver of life, will restore every aspect of Yusuf’s body that needs to be restored.”

Sister prays for Yusuf Buhari

A younger sister to Yusuf, Hanan, also prayed for her brother’s quick recovery on Thursday after sharing the photo of the damaged power bike.

She posted her wishes on her Facebook page on Thursday.

She added, “Subhanallah (Glory to God). Allah shi baka Lafiya yaya na (May God restore your health, my elder brother).”