On Thursday, the turmoil engulfing the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) reached a new high when a factional leader, Major Agbo, warned of an assassination attempt against him.
Agbo’s initial members formed one camp, while those who support Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the party’s presidential candidate who joined shortly before the 2023 elections, formed the other.
Agbo camp claims it has canceled the deal that allowed Kwankwaso’s Kwankwasiya faction to join the NNPP after it ousted Kwankwaso for allegedly trying to takeover the party.
Agbo claimed his life was in danger when speaking to reporters in Abuja on Thursday.
On Monday, the claimed assassins of the NNPP faction leader were dispatched to his office, where he was working. He accused “political opportunists trying to hijack the party’s leadership” of sending them.
According to Agbo, two assassins invaded his office in Wuse Zone 4 while he was there.
He said the assailants who broke into the party faction’s headquarters couldn’t find him because they didn’t recognize him.
Agbo explained, “The purpose of this briefing is to update you on an attempt to assassinate me here in this office on Monday, August 16th, 2023.”
“I came in at around 2:45 p.m., and shortly after, two males came in, despite the desk lads’ admonition to follow proper protocol.
They came in here brandishing weapons and demanding to meet me, but I was already talking to them. The fact that I wasn’t seated in my usual chair should have been my first clue that they had never met me in person.
One of them pointed a small rifle at me and said he was a former classmate of mine from Command and Staff College, Jaji, and asked that I bring him “Major Agbo.”
When I questioned if he would be able to recognize his classmate, he said “yes.” Then, I informed them that Major Agbo was not present. They quickly retreated, sprinted to their parked ash-colored Toyota Corolla (which would help them get away), and drove off.
To paraphrase, “We are all aware of the recent developments in the party as a result of attempts to hijack it by some ill-advised elements and political opportunists.”
Agbo said that he has been receiving death threats in addition to the purported assassination attempt.
Let me also confirm to you that I have received multiple death threats via WhatsApp voice calls. The callers claimed that I was blocking their attempt to take control of the party away from NAGAFF (National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders), its founding and mother organization.
On Monday, they attempted to carry out their threat, but they failed miserably because they had no way of identifying me. The issue has been relayed to the proper authorities for resolution.
I’m asking for your help because I feel like they’re trying to steal my life for something that isn’t theirs.
“I ask that you alert the public that I am in immediate danger at the hands of usurpers who have only recently joined our party after it had already been in existence for twenty-two years.”