Kassim Afegbua To Voluntarily Turn Himself In To The Police

Kassim Afegbua

Kassim Afegbua, media aide to former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, would voluntarily make himself available to the police on Wednesday.

This is as confirmed by his lawyer, Kayode Ajulo in a statement on Tuesday morning.

Ajulo disclosed that his client was not invited by the police before he was declared wanted by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Monday.

“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.

“Our client, however, remains 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.

“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.”

Recall the IG had ordered Afegbua’s arrest for making false statements, defamation of character, and for an act capable of inciting public disturbance following two statements purportedly credited to his boss, former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, bordering on the 2019 elections, and other national issues.