Thugs alleged to have belonging to the serving lawmaker of Ibadan North State Constituency II, Hon. Gabriel Babajide have been reported to attacked state house correspondence in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.
The attack which was indirectly alleged to be supervised by the lawmaker happened at Sango-Poly Road of Ibadan while driving through a narrow road of the axis.
While narrating the happening by the affected journalist, Mr. Oladapo Ibikunle, he explained that while he was coming from UI and trying to go towards The Polytechnic Ibadan Road, Babajide’s men came from his back in a convoy and trying to overtake him in that narrow path.
“I was even willing to stop for them so that they could go, but unfortunately the road was narrow and there were motorcyclists in my front. So the only thing I could do was to apply brake, which I did. However, the road was not wide enough to allow them pass that was how they descended on me, banging my car and threatening to kill me.”
“Then I decided not to say anything especially when I discovered that it was Babajide Gabriel’s boys. I know him and my plan was to report his boys to him, not knowing that he was inside one of the cars watching everything and he couldn’t call them to order.”
“It took the intervention of one of the traffic wardens at the junction to create way for them to let them go.” He explained further.
He added that “I thought they had gone until I proceeded on my journey and I saw them waiting for me. At this point, Gabriel himself had alighted, so when I saw him, I pulled over to ask him why I deserve such attack. He merely laughed and said he waited when he discovered that I was the one.”
“Then I asked him what he would have done if it wasn’t me. At that point he got angry and was shouting at me. So I left, but not without telling him that his boys had threatened to kill me.”
“Immediately I got to my destination, I called the Speaker of the House, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, who didn’t pick his calls. I dropped a message for him but he hasn’t called back till now. So I called the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Honourable Kazeem Olayanju and his Deputy, Honourable Adeola Bamidele. They both promised to look into the matter.”
“However, as the Chairman of the correspondents in the Oyo State House of Assembly, I called NUJ Chairman, Comrade Ademola Babalola to report what happened, and he promised to call him immediately.”
“Meanwhile because of the threat to kill me and owing to the fact that we are in electioneering period, I had to call the state PPRO, ASP Adewale Osifeso who directed me to report at Sango Police Station.”
“I am going to make the report immediately I leave my present location which is not far from the police station.” He concluded.
