High-profile london scandal: Presidency speaks up, defends Chief of Staff Kyari

- The presidency has denied report that the Nigeria High Commission in London paid for Abba Kyari's medical bills

- The presidency said the Nigeria High Commission in London only wrote a letter of guarantee to the hospital for treatment to commence

- No financial commitments on behalf of Kyari was involved

The presidency has spoken in defence of the Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari, saying he did not use the funds of the Nigeria High Commission in London to pay his medical bills during his recent visit for emergency medical treatment.

A statement by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Shehu Garba, said the allegations against Kyari were totally incorrect, misleading and a fabrication.

The statement read: “The Nigeria High Commission in London did not at any time ever settle the medical bills or any other bills for that matter as Abba Kyari personally took responsibility for paying his own bills. This is by the Chief of Staff's choice. He pays for his medicals, his taxi and accommodation in the U.K in spite of the high office he occupies, even when there is no rule that says he cannot be catered for by government.

“For the records, Kyari was rushed out of Nigeria for an emergency medical treatment on the fateful December 1, 2016. To receive him on arrival, the Wellington Hospital needed to have cash deposited, or in the absence of this, a letter of guarantee.”

READ ALSO: Aisha Buhari denies involvemement in high-profile london scandal

Shehu noted that a letter of guarantee was written by the Nigeria High Commission in London to the hospital for treatment to commence and it did not involve financial commitments on behalf of Kyari.

He explained that apart from senior government officials, other reputable Nigerians are issued with such guarantee letters to hospitals.

The presidency said hospital records are available for verification to show that the Nigeria High Commission in London didn't pay for Kyari’s treatment.

Recall that an online news portal had last Thursday reported that Kyari, the First Lady Aisha Buhari and some other people were bleeding the finances of the Nigeria High Commission, London.

READ ALSO: OPINION: The media war against Buhari and his aides

The report claimed that Aisha visited the UK at least seven times last year and each time she travelled there, the High Commission spent a minimum of £7,000 on her hospitality.

Reacting to the report, the president’s wife said the Nigerian commission in London had never offered any favour either “monetarily or materially” to her or her so-called entourage on any of her trips to the UK.

Listen what Nigerians have to say about Nigerian Embassy in London paying for Kyari's medical bills.