My life is in danger – Babangida’s spokesman, Afegbua, speaks out

Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, says his life is under threat.

Afegbua, who has been in and out of the offices of the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) since Sunday when he issued a statement on behalf of his principal, said the last six days have been traumatic.

He said on Wednesday, after spending seven hours without being told why he was summoned to the DSS headquarters, he was asked to return on Friday, and that an operative interrogated him over the statement after he had spent two hours.

He said at the end of the interrogation, his personal details were taken.

Afegbua added that he had been receiving strange calls since the controversy began.

“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,” he said.

“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 for ever.”