Politics
KAZZIM Afegbua on Friday in Abuja raised the alarm over his safety, saying that his life was being threatened since he issued a statement on behalf of his principal, in which he advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.
Afegbua, who is the spokesman for the former military dictator, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), spoke with journalists after he left the office of the Department of State Services in Abuja.
He was accompanied to the headquarters of the organisation by his lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo.
He had earlier visited the security outfit on Thursday, but was asked to come again on Friday.
Afegbua said, “My life is in danger right now. Consequently am surrendering my life to the government.
“In the last one week, I have gone through a lot, including my children. The Police declared me a wanted man for just no course.
“Later, the DSS invited me on the same flimsy excuse. On Thursday, I honoured the invitation. I spent seven -hours with my lawyer without seeing their boss and I was asked to come back today.
” Today again, I spent almost two and half hours before my interrogators came and led me to a conference room where they confronted me first, with the statement I issued on Sunday, on behalf of my boss of over 14 years, former President Ibrahim Babangida, in which he advised President Buhari not to seek reelection in 2019.
“I affirmed being the author on the instruction of my boss. They asked me to put it in writing, which I did.
“They brought the second statement refuting the original statement I signed and I told them that I knew nothing about it. They also asked me to put it in writing and I did just that.
“Later, they asked me to provide my bank account number, the number of my passport, my residential address and many other details about myself.
“However, they said that what they were doing about my case was normal. They said that once such two conflicting statements are coming from such a personality like a former President, they have the responsibility to investigate it and get to the root of the matter.
“Thereafter, they asked me and my lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo, to go. The atmosphere was very friendly and as well cordial.”
Afegbua lamented that he was still at a loss on these sequence of events on an offense he claimed he knew nothing about since Babangida had not come out to disown him or the statement in question.
He said, “I also want to point out here, that since Sunday, I have been receiving series of abusive and offensive text messages on my phone, challenging me to come out of my hiding if I am a man.
“They have been threatening to deal with me for daring to ask Buhari not to seek re-election next year.
“With all these, I have come to a conclusion that my life is in danger and based on this, I am surrendering my life to the government.”
Afegbua, however, said he remained the spokesman for the military dictator until his boss himself decided otherwise.
He said the government must allow constructive criticism for democracy to thrive in the country. – Punch
– Feb. 9, 2018 @ 19:20 GMT |
Tags: My life is in danger says Afegbua
