By Idris Olukoya
LAGOS, Feb. 24, Mr Akinbola Ahmed Tunde, a Lagos-based businessman and ward leader of the Labour Party (LP), has raised an alarm over what he describes as political persecution, intimidation, and threats to his life.
Tunde, who played an active role in mobilizing grassroots support for the LP during the 2023 general elections, alleged that since the election, he has been subjected to relentless harassment, including physical attacks and a home invasion.
Speaking to our reporter, in Lagos, in Monday , Tunde said, “My commitment to democracy, good governance, and justice has come at a grave cost. I am now a target of political persecution.”
He alleged that individuals affiliated with the opposition party had orchestrated attacks against him.
Tunde said that his home was invaded on March 4, 2023, while he was away in Ondo State for a wedding.
“I received a distressing call from my housemaid, Miss Adeoti Rachael, who told me that armed political thugs had broken into my home, shouting my name as they searched for me. When they couldn’t find me, they vandalized my property and brutally beat my housemaid. She had to be hospitalized at Pillars Medical Centre,” he said.
He also claimed that on December 12, 2022, he was physically assaulted while returning home from a Labour Party campaign event in Alimosho.
“I was ambushed by armed political thugs. They attacked me, and as I struggled to escape, I sustained a serious knee injury that took six weeks to heal,” he added.
Tunde lamented that despite reporting these incidents to law enforcement authorities, no arrests had been made.
“The perpetrators continue to act with impunity. The police have done nothing, and I and my family live in constant fear for our lives,” he said.
With the 2025 local government elections approaching, he expressed concern that threats against him had intensified, casting uncertainty over his continued participation in politics.
He called on the Nigerian government, security agencies, human rights organizations, and the international community to intervene and ensure his safety.
“No citizen should have to live in fear for exercising their democratic rights. I refuse to be silenced by intimidation. I only want to contribute to the progress of my country in an environment where democracy, justice, and freedom of speech prevail,” he said.
He urged security agencies to take swift action to protect him and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are brought to justice.
