A Presidency source told my correspondent that after efforts to
stabilise her (Patience Jonathan) worsening health condition proved abortive by a combined
team of the Presidency’s health team, the office of the National
Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, was immediately contacted on
Friday, August 24 to make emergency arrangement for a flight to Italy
where she was expected to be treated at a specialist hospital.
Though
spirited effort were made to airlift the First Lady, getting permit to
fly European skies was said to have frustrated the move until sometime
in the midnight when a positive response was obtained from the German
Authorities.
Following the approval, a Presidential jet departed
Abuja on Saturday, August 25 to Frankfurt with wife of the President and
a few trusted aides.
On their arrival at Frankfurt, the ailing
first Lady was taken to Wisbaden where she was admitted and is currently
being treated for food poisoning.
The source said: "I am aware
that she contacted food poisoning in Dubai. We really can't say exactly
what she ate in Dubai which resulted in the ailment. But as soon as it
was becoming difficult to get her stabilised here, we were advised to
fly her to Bologna, Italy where a particular hospital is said to be good
in handling such matter.
"Because it was an emergency case and
there was no assurance that a permit would be granted for the team to
fly European skies that night, we were still thinking of an alternative
until words came in from the German authorities that we could fly in the
next day. Calls were made to those asked to be on the alert for a
journey to Italy as they would now be flying to Germany. The team left
for Frankfurt the next day, Saturday, August 25 and Madam was then taken
to Wisbaden where she is currently undergoing treatment."
Asked
why there was no official statement on the matter, another source
said:"I really can't say but there is no truth in the rumour that'she
underwent any operation. Before she left, the medical team was sure it
was food poisoning which came out of what she probably ate in Dubai. I
am not in the media team of the First Lady and therefore would not know
why a statement was not issued.
"All I know is that the First
Lady is recuperating and even shook hands with some of the aides that
followed her to Germany before she was admitted. She never flew out in
an air ambulance but in an official Presidential jet. "
Since the
news of her ill health was published by an online news agency, the
Presidency has kept mum over the real state of Dame Jonathan's health,
insisting that she had simply travelled out for some "moment’s rest"
following doctor's advice.