PRESS STATEMENT
The lives of my immediate family and 84-year old mother in danger.
It was indeed a great embarrassment and surprise to me when I received telephone calls from Arogbo, my home town in Ondo State, Nigeria, that more than twenty armed Policemen, with other plain clothes men stormed my house. They broke the gate with sophisticated equipment, gained entry into the compound, vandalized all the doors in the house, ransacked all the rooms unaccompanied by anybody. While this Gestapo like operation lasted, some of the Policemen shot sporadically into the air which made many people to scamper into safety.
This Death Squad, led by a Superintendent of Police, Sunday Alli, who claimed to come from the Inspector General of Police Tactical Squad, for Armed Robbery, Kidnapping and Gun-running. One wonders if, this team did any background or facts check before proceeding on a journey to Arogbo, a peaceful Community of mainly fishermen and women. What could the Policemen be looking for?
If they wanted to search my house, should they not have come with a Search Warrant? Since they did not meet me at home, even if they wanted to search, should they have done so unaccompanied? It is worrisome, if our country has degenerated to a level where innocent citizens are being harassed, intimidated and framed up on daily basis, while criminals and perpetrators of other heinous activities walk about freely.
They came with a black sac containing all kinds of instruments to break, destroy or vandalise whatever they chose to. The sac also contained harmful chemicals that can be used to open security doors. After terrorizing the entire community for more than ninety minutes, I have it on good authority that, they claimed to have found only one white bullet proof singlet, which they apparently brought with them. I do not have any doubt in my mind that, this act of intimidation is part of the present administration’s plan to persecute me for no reason. It is in pursuit of their wishful thinking to find just anything with which to frame me up. But again, even in today’s operation they failed to achieve that.
However, as a law abiding citizen, I shall cause my lawyers to make the Police pay for the damages they willfully did. And apologize to the community they wrongfully traumatized. My 84 year old mother who lives in Arogbo is still in a state of shock. Members of my immediate family no longer feel secure and protected to go about their normal businesses. In the course of my assignment as Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs, I sacrificed and contributed to the stability of the region. Through our modest efforts, peace returned to Niger Delta. Am I being persecuted for service to my father land? All over the world, Policemen are expected to protect people, our case is different . For Policemen to take laws into their hands, and broke into my house, those responsible must be brought to book.
Let me also say that, no amount of blackmail or intimidation can cow me, as my hands are very clean. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper.
Thanks.
Dr. Kingsley Kemebradigha Kuku.
