Various groups and individuals on Wednesday warned the Federal Government against any attempt to intimidate the Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita over the leaked memo on the Abdulrasheed Maina saga.

Speaking on the issue, convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Mr Junaid Mohammed, said the “verbal tirade” against Oyo-Ita by the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, was obviously an attempt to intimidate her into silence.

He said, “This shameless act by the Chief of Staff clearly shows you how desperate this administration can get. Most of the questions we as Nigerians have been asking about what Mr. President knows about this whole Maina saga have been answered by this leaked memo.

“We have been asking what does Mr. President know about this whole thing and when was it brought to his attention? Unless he comes clean, no attempt by a chief of staff to intimidate a thorough bred career civil servant whose record of performance he can never match can wash this administration clean of this crime against the Nigerian people.

“If anybody feels strongly about what she said in her reply to the query issued to her such a person should produce a superior counter-argument instead of trying to intimidate her into silence. Nigerians are watching. This woman was queried, she merely replied, what tells you that it was not members of the cabal that leaked the document to make her look bad?”

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights has also flayed Kyari for attacking Oyo-Ita, saying it was an embarrassment to the Buhari administration.

CDHR President, Mr Malachy Ugwummadu, said, “The Maina issue has become very scandalising and embarrassing. It is not unexpected. Some of us have repeatedly expressed our resentment over the poor coordination of the entire affairs of this government.

“The height of that resentment was the show of shame that characterised the altercation and near fisticuffs of the Chief of Staff and the Head of Service. I think the President at this point needs to address the drift.”

Director, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Mr Debo Adeniran, however, said, “What happened between Abba Kyari and Oyo-Ita was a private discussion which we should not worry about, except Kyari was seen to be an interloper in matters which concern the President.”

Punch