Segun Atanda/
Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has told security agents how he escaped an assassination attempt allegedly plotted by his political rival, Senator Buruji Kashamu, on Thursday.
In a petition to the Police and the Directorate of State Services (DSS), Daniel revealed that five gunmen stormed his Maitama residence in Abuja looking for him on Thursday night.
The petition reads in part: “5 hefty men, 2 of them in Military fatigue, 3 others in Black clothes approached the gate honking that the gate be opened. The gate-man peeped through the pedestrian gate asking for their identity and mission, they refused to wind down. Gate-man then opened the Pedestrian gate to further inquire innocently. They asked for his boss “OGD” (that was the acronym from my full name, Otunba Gbenga Daniel) and he told them I was not at home. The 5 men instantly alighted from the car and pushed the gate-man forcefully into the compound and started beating him saying he was lying and that they had information that I was at home. They thereafter asked him how many Policemen were in the house and he told them five (5) men. They further asked him to show them where the Policemen were. He led them into the Boys Quarters and they found one of the Policemen lying down and they asked for his service gun. He told them it is not with him, they then pushed him into the toilet and locked him there. They returned to the Gatekeeper and told him to start showing them round the house where the other Policemen were, while insisting that they have accurate information that “OGD” is in Abuja, and at home. They spotted one of the workers at home and they nearly killed him believing he could be one of the Policemen.
“Meanwhile the Police that was locked in the toilet luckily had his gun kept in that toilet. He took his gun, went through the ceiling and landed in another main toilet that was not locked and started firing his gun. That was when they took to their heels and escaped. They were said to be carrying pistols or shotguns while one of them who carried a bigger gun stood watch at the gate as the operation lasted. Nothing was removed from the house. They reportedly came in a black Camry and the 6th person was said to be the Driver who stayed put in the car on standby.
“THE MAIN SUSPECT
It is public knowledge that there is no love lost between Senator Kashamu and I.
In the last 8 years that we disagreed politically he has not stopped maligning my character in every way possible. On one occasion, he confessed publicly and wrote in National newspapers (copy attached) saying that he spent over three billion naira (N3b) to destabilize and destroy my administration, using his own words.
On another occasion he gathered some fake documents and sought for people who can lie on oath that I killed students and sucked their blood; with all manner of fictions on sundry issues and got these published in various online news medium that I stole campaign funds!!!
“All these I took in my strides as part of the price for participating in government and politics, including the spurious EFCC charges promoted by the current government in Ogun State.
“On several other occasions he has boasted in the company of his friends that he will not rest until he sees my end.
“This renewed offensive was as a result of the recent Supreme court ruling placing his own faction at a disadvantage and ending the reign of his control over the State Executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun state, which were all secured through various controversial court orders without any democratic process whatsoever.
“It is Kashamu’s belief that I was the brain behind his loss of power and relevance in Ogun State PDP (the main source of milking innocent political aspirants), and he felt I must be brought down by all means.
“This much he stated in an online publication on 24/08/17 (copy attached).
It is true that I have been in Abuja two days ago to solidarize with the new State Caretaker committee for the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State sworn in on Wednesday 23/08/17, a day before the incident. It is also true that I slept in my house in Abuja on Wednesday 23/08/17, But Senator Kasamu’s informant did not know I left Abuja on Thursday 24/08/17 afternoon (the day of the incident), with Senator Ahmed Makarfi and others to Ibadan on a peace mission to the Oyo State PDP from where I travelled to Ekiti. It was en route to Ekiti last night that this sad incidence was reported to me. The matter have since been reported to the Police authorities.
“MY PRAYER;
The reason of this petition is
* to alert the Police authorities about the evil intention of Senator Buruji Kashamu towards my person and request for additional Security protection.
* to inform the Nigeria Police and security agencies on the need and to appreciate that Buruji Kashamu should be put under security watch list and strict surveillance.
*to inform the state, my family and friends that I have not done any deal with any person that remains unfulfilled in my life, and also that I have not been able to condescend to some of the dastardly acts and ways of Buruji Kashamu as a matter of principle and in case anything untoward happen to me, the prime suspect is Buruji Kashamu.
“This is my first and only petition against anyone in my entire life and I don’t intend to go into any gutter swipes or despicable war of words with anyone. I can only hope that one is not provoked to review this position.”