Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman of former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, has raised the alarm over threat to his life from unknown persons.
He said that ever since he issued the controversial Sunday statement wherein his principal lamented the security situation in the country under President Muhammadu Buhari and said he would not be supporting the incumbent’s reelection bid, he had been receiving threat calls from unknown numbers.
Afegbua was declared wanted by the police over the issue on Monday and sued police authorities for defamation of character seeking N1 billion in damages.
However, he told journalists he had withdrawn the suit on Wednesday after meeting the Police Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood.
He was also invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) for a “friendly chat” over the incident on Wednesday evening.
Afegbua said he was at the DSS office on Thursday and was told to come back on Friday after spending several hours.
He said he returned to the DSS office on Friday and was interrogated by a young officer who took his personal details.
Afegbua disclosed that he had been receiving strange calls from unknown numbers since the controversy began.
He said, “In the last six days, I have gone through traumatic experience when I was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police. By the strength of that unprofessional declaration, I was treated like a common criminal and fugitive until I showed up at the police headquarters Abuja to physically present myself.
“After what the police termed a no case issue, they were apologetic and I took my leave. In the evening of that day, Wednesday 7th February, 2018 I got a phone call inviting me to the headquarters of the Directorate of State Security (DSS).
“I honoured the invitation on Thursday and spent 7 hours waiting for attention. I left the office at 6.50pm when it became clear nobody was ready to tell me what the invitation was meant for. I was informed to report back on Friday 9th February, 2018 at 11am. On arrival on Friday, having spent 2 hours, I was attended to by the Director of Operations and two others who interrogated me on the said statement I issued. My interrogation was recorded electronically and was made to write a statement affirming the issued statement, having collected all my personal details; house address, account number, international passport number and other information.
“I find this whole episode quite nauseating and utterly condemnable. I cannot rationalise why just a statement would amount to subjecting me to rigorous interrogation especially when there was no complainant. The action of the Nigeria Police coupled with that of the State Security Service is at best that of a meddlesome interloper and sheer bullying, leaving serious developmental issues to chasing shadows with a view to intimidate, harass and embarrass me.
“Let me state at this point that my life is in danger as we speak. I have been receiving series of unknown phone calls from people threatening me and my family. But I am resolute in the true spirit of a free-born, that threats, intimidation, harassment and psychological torturing has never and will not stop me from exercising my right of free speech as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; as well as carrying out my professional responsibility. I will not submit to intimidation, harassment and threats. Certainly not. I have just a life to live and no one under God will live forever.”
While vowing not to succumb to any form of “intimidation”, he expressed gratitude to his wife, his principal, and lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo, for their unflinching support.
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