Segun Atanda/
Prince Kassim Afegbua, the spokesman to former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, has replied police authorities through his lawyers, after he was declared wanted yesterday.
According to a statement issued by Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, Abuja, the police authorities did not follow procedure before making the declaration.
Police spokesman, CSP Moshood Jimoh, stated yesterday that the Inspector General of Police ordered the immediate arrest of Afegbua “for making false statements, injurious falsehood, defamation of character and for act capable of Inciting PUBLIC disturbance throughout the country”.
In the response, Afegbua’s lawyers say: “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.
“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.”
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