TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
OLATEJU Adunni, Personal Assistant to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has claimed that the thugs who allegedly attacked him while attending a birthday party in Osogbo, Osun State, were escorted to the scene by policemen.
He said he was attacked alongside four of his allies by a gang of hoodlums who had been enjoying executive support in the state.
Adunni disclosed this to journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday while recounting his ordeals in the hands of some hoodlums who allegedly attacked him last Sunday at a birthday party organised by a member of the State House of Assembly, representing Osogbo constituency, Taofeek Badmus.
Though, Adunni claimed the alleged assassination attempt on his life was “premeditated and political,” he couldn’t say if it was connected with the rift between Governor Gboyega Oyetola and his principal, Aregbesola.
Adunni, who wore a cervical collar to support his neck while addressing journalists, denied objecting to the musician’s songs that praised Governor Oyetola during the birthday party held at Firewood, a restaurant/bar located at Oroki Estate in Osogbo.
He explained that the attack was an attempted assassination on his life and called on security agencies to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. He said the incident had been reported to the Police.
He said, “The first feelings of danger came when my Personal Assistant came to whisper into my ears that I was not safe in the place and that we should start finding our ways out. My response was instant; I used style to dance out of the stage and got out to the spacious premises. A few minutes later, I stepped out to discuss with an aide of the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Joseph Akanbi.
“We were right outside with a woman, a quantity surveyor. Then, I saw a bus that parked at a close distance. There were two mobile policemen in the bus. There and then, I sensed trouble. So, I excused the people I was discussing with. I smelt danger but I wasn’t coming to terms with the fact that the attack could be meant for me.
“I went back inside the restaurant to inform Aresa of what I saw outside. I was backing the entrance. Suddenly, one of the guys who alighted from the parked bus rushed at me and started shouting: Ohun niyen, this is Teju and so on. Then the blows, the cuts, the bruises and all the rest began and so it continued.
“Alhaji Simple, an elder brother to Senator Ajibola Basiru was also on hand. His response was that of reprimand, saying, What is wrong with you guys, are you out of your senses? I think he might have known one or two of the thugs that attacked me. The assailants responded by attacking him with a sharp object. That was how he sustained injuries. Hon. Taofeek Badmus was also attacked. He was punched and harassed. He later hid under the table of a man selling suya at the place.
“Also, Honourable BFK was harassed by the thugs when he attempted to rescue my friend, Wale Omolola. I managed to escape from the restaurant and was running towards Jerry Paul filling station. The hoodlums were running after me. They shot at me several times. They were shouting dont kill him here, let us catch him and take him to another place.
“I heard my PA, Dare screaming. I thought he had been severely injured. I had to navigate my way back to the restaurant to rescue him because I thought I had diverted the attention of the thugs. Unfortunately, I ran into their midst. They held me and started unleashing machete cuts on me. Luckily for me, a bouncer at the restaurant punched two of the hoodlums holding me and some of them went for him. That was how I was able to escape from them.
“The guy who led the attack is a known notorious hoodlum. He and his gang members have been enjoying executive protection in the state.
“A few minutes later, I came back to the scene in search of my PA and phones. I saw the ring leader of the thugs, a known person to me, too. He turned back immediately he saw me. It was during that time that Hon. Taofeek Badmus called one of the people around and asked him to tell me to come to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital. I insisted I was not going. I thought he was also there for treatment.
“Let me state here that it is unfortunate and an act of cowardice for Hon. Badmus to have denied there was an attack on him, a move to underplay the assassination attempt on me.
“During later efforts to recover the phones, we called the line in one of the phones, a guy picked it and said he was at Old Garage. He demanded for N10, 000 before releasing the phone. He sent an account number with First Bank. The guy is also a known notorious miscreant in Osogbo.”
“I crave the indulgence of the press, the security outfits and all people of substance in our society to rise up and fish out these miscreants and their paymasters and bring them to justice. From what I observed, the attack is premeditated and political. It was an unprovoked attack, and it was an attempt on my life. I thank God that I survived it,” he stated.
