Gunmen Attack Ibadan ANPP Chief

By Gbenga Abegunrin, Reporter, Ibadan


Residence of an Ibadan-based socialite-turned-politician, Femi Abiodun Lekuti (a.k.a Danku Baba Imole) who contested for and lost the seat of Ibadan South-West 11 state constituency in the state House of Assembly on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP) was attacked by gunmen on Wednesday night.

The Alexandra, Apata-Ganga, Ibadan residence of the ANPP member was visited by about four gunmen, who said they came to search for the socialite turned politician.
Briefing journalists about the incident on Saturday afternoon, Lekuti maintained that the gunmen arrived at about 10.00p.m on the day, and ordered a boy, identified as Victor, to tell them about the whereabouts of his boss.

He [b]added that they pointed gun at the boy and threatened to kill him if he refused to disclose the whereabouts of his boss.

His words: "They told him that they had seen my car in the compound and that they knew that I was around. They marched the innocent boy around the street with gun. But I thank God that they did not get me, and that they did not kill the helpless boy".

He maintained that he could not say if the attackers were political thugs or armed robbers, but quickly added that he had been attacked by political thugs on two different occasions in the recent past.[/b]He spoke further: "My residence was attacked on the day of re-run election to the state House of Assembly in my constituency. During the attack, my cars and other valuable items were destroyed by the attackers.

"Also on the day of the local government election organised by former Governor Rashidi Ladoja in May, 2007, Late Lamidi Adedibu sent thugs to come and kill me.

"I was in the Court of Appeal last Tuesday with my supporters. I don't know if the Wednesday attack was because of my presence in the court because they came a day after the court's sitting.

Lekuti added that immediately after the attackers left his compound, he phoned the Apata Police Divisional Headquarters, and men of the division responded quickly.

Part of me we like to join in the new political dispensation back in Nigeria, but after reading stories like this it deflates any enthusiasm you have.