Following the warrant issued by the Police authorities for the arrest of Mr. Kassim Afegbua, spokesman of Nigeria’s former military President, Ibrahim Babangida, his lawyer has issued a statement informing the force that his client will be available for questioning on Wednesday, February 7,2018.
The statement authored by Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, Abuja, signed and addressed to the Police on Monday, February 5, affirmed that Mr. Kassim is a law abiding citizen of Nigeria, and that he has elected to make himself available to the Police on Wednesday once he returns from his trip.
According to the law firm, its client, remained undeterred by the desperate efforts of some individuals to intimidate him and bend his will and rights against the Constitution provisions, framework of Nigeria Police Force Act and the laws of the land.
It said, “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 spelt-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,” the Chamber wrote.
The law firm however disclosed that efforts by the Police authorities to circumvent its client’s constitutional right to the dignity of self, freedom of expression and fair hearing, showed that there is a desperate attempt to scare him( Afegbua) into submission.