Kassim Afegbua, the spokesperson to a former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has alleged that the lives of members of his family and himself have come under threat since he issued a statement of behalf of his principal, who advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election.
Mr. Afegbua, in a statement he issued on Friday, said the last six days, which took in invitations from the Nigeria Police Force and Directorate of State Security, have left him traumatised.
"My life is in danger as we speak. I have been receiving series of phone calls from unknown persons threatening me and my family," Mr. Afegbua said in his statement.
However, he maintained that he is not moved by the threats and psychological torture he has undergone. First, the Police declared him wanted like a common criminal and fugitive until he turned up at the Police Headquarters in Abuja. "After what the Police termed a no case issue, they were apologetic and I took my leave. In the evening of that day, Wednesday, 7 February, I got a call inviting me to the headquarters of the DSS," he said. The next day, he stated, he honoured the invitation and spent seven hours waiting to be told what he had been invited for. At 6.50pm, after realising no one was willing to offer an explanation to him, he left. He was told to return the next day at 11 am.
"On arrival, having spent two hours, I was attended to by the Director of Operations and two others, who interrogated me on the statement I issued. My interrogation was recorded electronically and was made to write a statement having collected all my personal details, house address, account number, international passport number and other information," disclosed Mr. Afegbua.
He wondered why a statement issued in his professional capacity would result in an interrogation when there was no complainant. He described the Police and DSS as meddlesome interlopers and bullies. Mr. Afegbua thanked General Babangida and his family for their support to him during the ordeal. He also thanked Nigerians, especially the media; and his lawyer, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, who he said represented him free of charge.
"This experience is an eye-opener to me in so many ways. I feel a sense of gratitude to several of Nigeria's foremost legal luminaries, who maintained constant touch and gave useful legal advice during this travail. On a lighter note, the support, accolades and motivation I received during this period have given me added confidence to seek elective public office in no distant future," he stated.
