What preceded the property enumeration exercise?
I gathered that Osima Ginah (Commissioner for Urban Development) and Theodore (George, Special Assistant to the Governor on Waterfront Demolitions) said they must forcefully enumerate the houses. That Tuesday (October 06), I went on air, and appealed to the state government that we are not violent, we are calling on the government to please forestall their actions for now, pending the final determination of the matter in court.
We appealed to the government on 93.7 fm, love FM and we also wrote a petition reporting the conduct of Theodore to the governor, the commissioner of police, the SSS director. We appealed to them. They turned deaf ears. Theodore came in on Monday (October 12) with military men.
Have you been to Bundu community since your release?
They said the governor gave the instruction to the commissioner of police that I should be arrested and detained.
I have not been there [to Bundu] because I was told to stay clear. Since I was released on Monday till now, I've been in the hotel. Right now, I also have gathered information that the state government has set up machineries in motion to assassinate me. So my movement is restricted.
How did you get to know this?
That was a privileged information, it was a telephone call that...please I should be mindful that the government is now focused on me, that for me to have challenged them, that who am I, that there are no two governors in the state, that if the governor has directed them that they should enter there to enumerate, and I say no, then that means that I am challenging the authority of the governor and they should go after me.
So my life is in danger. Politicians are like a moving train, if you stand on their way, they will crush you. Right now, as I am speaking, I am appealing to the government. I don't have personal problems, political interest against them.
I represent the people and I must have to carry out the instructions of the people. You can imagine the military being used on helpless Nigerians.
We hear that children were stepped over and killed in the stampede; we hear that police men were burying bodies yesterday in the cemetery. Are these things true? What would you like to tell your people?
My people know that I have been held hostage. I have been under detention. They are very much aware that if I were at home, my presence would have calmed the situation because they listen to me. Women were beaten, stripped naked. They were shot. In a civilian government. We are told that three kids died. If not for any other thing; for the sake of women and children.
Yesterday, I was reliably told that six persons have not been seen. That six persons were killed by soldiers and they were taken away in their van. Those who were with them; that came out, were able to give their names.