Re: ‘Bamanga Tukur alleges assassination attempt’

It is our instruction that our client in the company of one of his relatives were on 4th December 2015 enroute the Airport in a black Volkswagen Amarok at about 14:00hours when the convoy of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) overtook our client’s car with siren blaring, and […]

It is our instruction that our client in the company of one of his relatives were on 4th December 2015 enroute the Airport in a black Volkswagen Amarok at about 14:00hours when the convoy of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) overtook our client’s car with siren blaring, and in the process, the last vehicle in the said convoy, a Toyota Prado Jeep hit the rear of our client’s car forcing it to veer off the road dangerously thereby exposing our client and other road users to avoidable but inevitable road mishap.
The convoy after the brazen act sped off without stopping to see the damage done to our client’s car. Our client in a bid to ascertain the identity of these desperados followed the convoy to a military check point along the Airport road and reported the matter to the Air force personnel at the check point. The Air force personnel on duty at the check point stopped the convoy for necessary checks. The Security details in the convoy got down and were very unruly and in the melee forced the check point open and for the second time rammed into the front side of our client’s vehicle and sped off to the Airport.
Our client followed them to the Airport in order to seek redress for the damage done to his property. At the Airport, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur alighted from one of the vehicles and in our client’s bid to approach him, the policeman and one of the personnel from the Department of State Security descended on our client beating and hitting him and in the process caused him bodily harm and injuries. It took the intervention of the Air Force personnel, Aviation security, Department of State Security officials and passers-by at the Airport before our client who was battling for his life on the ground was saved from further humiliation. The Military Airport Commandant was immediately informed of the development and he asked the Divisional Police Officer of the Airport Police Station to intervene in the situation. On arrival of the Divisional Police Officer, three of the vehicles in the convoy of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur escaped from the scene but one was stopped by soldiers from the Guards Brigade at the Airport.
Our client and the security personnel attached to Alhaji Bamanga Tukur were taken to the Airport Police Station and on arrival at the Police Station, our client discovered that the Inspector General of Police has been contacted by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and/or his representative. The Commissioner of Police Airport Command thereafter asked for an update on the matter and the Divisional Police Officer sent his preliminary investigative report via SMS to him. Our client wrote his statement and was advised by the Divisional Police Officer to go and get medical attention in view of the injuries sustained by our client.
On 5th December 2015, the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who was briefed of the incident asked for a reconciliatory meeting between our client and the representative of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. At the meeting, one of the representatives of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur asked for an amicable settlement of the matter and proposed another meeting with the client which his principal will attend on his arrival from Owerri on 6th December 2015 and at this juncture, the meeting was scheduled to be held after Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s arrival from Owerri on 6th December 2015.
It was therefore a surprise and a big shock that on 6th of December 2015, there were several malicious and false publications in various national dailies prominently carrying the story that there was an assassination attempt on Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
In furtherance of their plan and in a bid to make their story about an assassination attempt to be believable, the police in liaison with Alhaji Bamanga Tukur ordered the arrest and detention of our client at the Airport Police Station.
This latest development not only came as a rude shock to our client but has confirmed our belief that Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is out to make the assassination story stick no matter the consequences of his action. The evidence and sequence of events has established with compelling finality that the aim of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is to play the victim and in the same vein to spread false, purported assassination attempt on his life thereby putting our national security and national interest at a great risk. The aim of the false story of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is not lost on us and we believe that the implication is also not lost on discerning Nigerians.
 We are therefore using this medium to implore you to do the needful in this regard and as well cross check the above version with the police authorities at the Airport Police Station. You owe Nigerians the sacred duties to publish this rejoinder so that the truth will be made known to Nigerians.
We guarantee that we shall make ourselves available to further help your inquiries.
Victor James Abasiakan-Ekim,Esq.,MCIArb
PP: GRAYS & GOLD LLP, Utako Abuja