Some residents of Ekiti community have criticised the physical assault on a popular Nigerian gospel singer, Mr Yinka Ayefele by an operative of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
It was learnt that Ayefele was reportedly punched on his lips by a yet-to-be-identified officer during an altercation between them.
Sources told journalists in Ado Ekiti, that the security agent also threatened to shoot the Ipoti Ekiti-born singer after resisting his forceful attempt to take money from Ayefele’s car.
One of the eyewitnesses said, “The incident occurred in Iloro Ekiti, where he (Ayefele) came to entertain guests at an event. The officer had made an attempt to take money from his car but when Ayefele resisted him, he thereafter punched the singer in the mouth.
“When the singer called his security detail to stop him he also threatened to shoot him before the intervention of his colleagues.
“This assault on the highly respected music producer is condemnable, the matter should be investigated and justice served”.
When contacted, Mr Ayefele confirmed the physical assault on him by the NSCDC officer.
The founder of Fresh FM Nigeria said, “I was moving out in my car after entertaining guests, the officer suddenly dipped his hand into my car to take my money but I resisted him and told him what he did was very wrong.
“That was how he gave me a punch on my mouth, I had cut on my lips and blood started gushing out. When I called my security detail to hold him he stood in the front of my car corking his rifle and threatening to shoot me.
“At that point, his colleagues came and I explained what he did to them. While trying to shield him, they said why am I fighting them, that I am a public figure and I don’t want to give them something? I said if I didn’t want to give him something, I wouldn’t have stopped, wind down my car. I have settled the area boys and others. I wept profusely, because they did this to me because I am physically challenged.
“They later brought the guy who came to collect money for the area boys said to have been beaten while trying to take the money away, telling me to see how he was beaten and attacked him with sharp objects just to frame me up but I have put my lawyer in the know”.