Detained Ekiti lawmaker debunks rumour of his death

A member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Afolabi Akanni, has debunked the rumour making the rounds in his state that he had died in the custody of the Department of State Services on Thursday.

 

Akanni, who represents Efon-Alaaye Constituency in the state House of Assembly, spoke briefly with journalists at the national headquarters of the DSS in Abuja on Thursday.

Akanni was arrested by the operatives of the DSS over sundry allegations.

He was said to be answering questions on issues bordering on the originality of his secondary school certificate, the blockage of Efon Alaaye -Itawure Road, which led to the death of one Modupe Karimu, aka Eleyele, during an alleged attempt to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose by the state lawmakers.

On Thursday, Akanni spoke briefly after a representative of DSS, Mr. Abdullahi Garuba, spoke with journalists.

Akanni, who has been in detention for about two weeks, however said he was sick.

“I’m not dead. I’m alive, but I’m sick. I have malaria. I have done a test,” he told our correspondent.

There was, however, a mild drama when Akanni was asked to walk up to the podium and speak with journalists.

Akanni, who had earlier walked in with an operative unaided, refused to stand up from his seat.

He refused every persuasion from the journalists and the operative on the need for him to speak with the journalists.

“I’m thirsty; I’m not feeling fine. I don’t know why I’m here,” he told our correspondent.

Speaking earlier, Garuba said Akanni was duly invited by the DSS over “some breaches bordering on state security and for which he has some explanations to make.”

He said those breaches “fall under the purview of the DSS to investigate.”

Garuba added that the briefing became necessary in order to debunk a rumour which he said was being dangerously spread in Ekiti State that Akanni had died in the custody of the DSS

“Nigerians and Ekiti people in particular are convinced to see that Afolabi is hale and hearty as he is being presented to the press today,” he added.

Garuba warned those he said were planning to “make meat” out of this false alarm to desist from it and steer clear of trouble.

He said the DSS would not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law to bear on anyone that might engage in violent actions of any kind.

He called on the residents of Ekiti State to go about their normal business, adding that the DSS would give them full protection..

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja