IBB spokesman, Afegbua breaks silence on police declaration, reveals plan

Spokesperson of former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida, Kassim
Afegbua, has reacted to Police declaration that he is wanted.

The IG of police in a statement last night, declared that Afegbua was
wanted, "for making 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 on his behalf,
expressed shock at the police decision to declare him wanted for
discharging his duty as instructed by his principal.

The lawyers added that Afegbua would report himself to the police
tomorrow, Wednesday, February 7th.

The statement in full…

"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."