… I’m not a fugitive – Babangida’s media
aide
Kassim Afegbua, the Spokesman to the former military President,
Ibrahim Babangida, has turned himself in at the Force headquarters
in Abuja.
Afegbua arrived the police headquarters at 10:32 a.m. in company
of his wife, lawyer, Kayode Ajulo and friends.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had on Monday
ordered Afegbua’s arrest over a statement he issued on behalf of
Babangida, urging President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek
re-election in 2019.
The ex- President’s media aide said when he was declared wanted
by the police, Babangida called him and asked if he was a
criminal.
When asked if he was in touch with his boss, Afegbua, who
addressed journalists before entering the police headquarters,
said: “It will even interest you to know that when I was declared
wanted on Channels TV and Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA), my
boss; IBB was the one who called me and said ‘why are they
declaring you wanted? Are you a criminal? and we laughed over
it.
“He also asked if I was on the run and if I have been given
invitation and he said, okay that is interesting. My boss said he
heard on the news that they talked about defamation of character
and he asked whose character have you defamed?
“So I am very much in touch with him and I am not doing anything
out of the blues. He is a man I have been with for the past 14
years as spokesman. Even when I went to serve in my state, I was
still very much in touch with him. I have said it before that I am
part and parcel of him, we are family and so I don’t have any cause
to worry over anything.
“I am only here personally because I was declared wanted. I am
not on the run, I am not a fugitive to the law and as a responsible
Nigerian, I feel it was unwise on the part of the police to declare
me wanted when I have not been formally invited. So I am here to
present myself. I am here with my wife, other family members and my
lawyer.”
On the insinuation that the second statement was sent by a
family member, he added: “If the former President has spoken to
Thisday Newspaper to confirm the veracity of the statement I issued
on his behalf, the other letter wouldn’t be an issue because
essentially, that statement as far as I am concerned did not speak
for IBB and Gen. Babangida by the special grace of God was former
President and his title is GCFR and not GCON. So to me, the
purported rebuttal is unnecessary.”
” It is understandable why I will have to extract my own
commitment by way of asking the law court to enforce my right
because I have a right under the constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as
amended to freedom of association, freedom of speech and dignity
and even if anything warrants one being declared wanted, it
shouldn’t be in that manner.”
On the withdrawal of the suit against Channels and NTA, he said:
“It is because I am a media person. There is no complicity, I have
withdrawn that of NTA and Channels TV this morning (Wednesday) at
the Federal High Court.
“So, I am suing the IGP and the police for infringing on my
rights, demeaning my person and maligning my reputation.”
When asked if he would withdraw the suit if the police
apologizes, he stated: “That is secondary. When we get there, we
will know.”
Shortly after Afegbua made his way into the building,
journalists who were there to cover his arrival were asked to
vacate the Force headquarters because the event was not organised
by the police.
… I’m not a fugitive – Babangida’s media
aide
Kassim Afegbua, the Spokesman to the former military President,
Ibrahim Babangida, has turned himself in at the Force headquarters
in Abuja.
Afegbua arrived the police headquarters at 10:32 a.m. in company
of his wife, lawyer, Kayode Ajulo and friends.
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had on Monday
ordered Afegbua’s arrest over a statement he issued on behalf of
Babangida, urging President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek
re-election in 2019.
The ex- President’s media aide said when he was declared wanted
by the police, Babangida called him and asked if he was a
criminal.
When asked if he was in touch with his boss, Afegbua, who
addressed journalists before entering the police headquarters,
said: “It will even interest you to know that when I was declared
wanted on Channels TV and Nigerian Television Authority, (NTA), my
boss; IBB was the one who called me and said ‘why are they
declaring you wanted? Are you a criminal? and we laughed over
it.
“He also asked if I was on the run and if I have been given
invitation and he said, okay that is interesting. My boss said he
heard on the news that they talked about defamation of character
and he asked whose character have you defamed?
“So I am very much in touch with him and I am not doing anything
out of the blues. He is a man I have been with for the past 14
years as spokesman. Even when I went to serve in my state, I was
still very much in touch with him. I have said it before that I am
part and parcel of him, we are family and so I don’t have any cause
to worry over anything.
“I am only here personally because I was declared wanted. I am
not on the run, I am not a fugitive to the law and as a responsible
Nigerian, I feel it was unwise on the part of the police to declare
me wanted when I have not been formally invited. So I am here to
present myself. I am here with my wife, other family members and my
lawyer.”
On the insinuation that the second statement was sent by a
family member, he added: “If the former President has spoken to
Thisday Newspaper to confirm the veracity of the statement I issued
on his behalf, the other letter wouldn’t be an issue because
essentially, that statement as far as I am concerned did not speak
for IBB and Gen. Babangida by the special grace of God was former
President and his title is GCFR and not GCON. So to me, the
purported rebuttal is unnecessary.”
” It is understandable why I will have to extract my own
commitment by way of asking the law court to enforce my right
because I have a right under the constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as
amended to freedom of association, freedom of speech and dignity
and even if anything warrants one being declared wanted, it
shouldn’t be in that manner.”
On the withdrawal of the suit against Channels and NTA, he said:
“It is because I am a media person. There is no complicity, I have
withdrawn that of NTA and Channels TV this morning (Wednesday) at
the Federal High Court.
“So, I am suing the IGP and the police for infringing on my
rights, demeaning my person and maligning my reputation.”
When asked if he would withdraw the suit if the police
apologizes, he stated: “That is secondary. When we get there, we
will know.”
Shortly after Afegbua made his way into the building,
journalists who were there to cover his arrival were asked to
vacate the Force headquarters because the event was not organised
by the police.