Kassim Afegbua, the spokesperson of former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida, has reacted to the news of the Nigeria Police Force declaring him wanted over the ‘controversial’ statement he released last Sunday on the instruction of his principal, former military leader Ibrahim Babangida.
The IG of police in a statement released last night declared Afegbua wanted ”for making a false statement, injurious falsehood, defamation of character and for act capable of inciting public disturbance throughout the country”.
Afegbua’s lawyers, Kayode Ajulo & Co, in a statement released on his behalf, expressed shock at the police decision to declare him wanted to discharge his duty as instructed by his principal. The lawyers added that Afegbua would report himself to the police tomorrow – February 7th. Read their statement below:
Our client, Prince Kassim Afegbua ‘s attention has just been drawn to a malicious news item on Nigeria Television Authority alleging that the Nigeria Police has declared him wanted over a statement he issued on behalf of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR.
Prince Afegbua, is a well-known journalist and was a cabinet member of Edo State Government with a known address in Benin, Edo State, and Abuja, yet he is not on notice of the police invitation whatsoever, before the purported publication declaring him wanted.
For the avoidance of doubt, there are spelled-out procedures for declaring a person wanted by the Police. The Police or other law enforcement agencies can declare a person wanted if they find reasons to do so, particularly if the person is a suspect in the commission of a crime and is on the run.
The public must know that our client, in discharging his duty to his principal, General Ibrahim Babangida, GCFR cannot by any stretch of the imagination be said to have committed a crime that warrants such negative publicity. Neither is he on the run.
Our client, however, remains undeterred by the desperate efforts of some individuals to intimidate him and bend his will and rights against the constitutional provisions, the framework of Nigeria Police Force Act and the laws of the land.
The circumscription of his constitutional right to the dignity of self, freedom of expression and fair hearing denotes that there is a desperate attempt to scare him into submission.
We have advised Prince Afegbua of his right and remedies available to him, as a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria, he has elected to make himself available to the Police on Wednesday once he returns from his trip.