How Pa Abraham Adesanya survived 40 bullets shot by Abacha's Hitman

Chief Abraham Adesanya was nicknamed 'Apamaku' (one who survived death). This is because he was shot 40 times while he was returning from the office in 1997. None of the bullets touched him or his driver even though his car was riddled with bullets. He was 74 years old then.

Before the attack, Adesanya became the 'Asiwaju of Yorubaland' after the demise of Obafemi Awolowo. He was a part of the Afenifere and deputy leader of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), a pro-democracy movement formed in 1994 to tackle the military in the aftermath of the cancelation of the June 12, 1993 election won by late MKO Abiola.

At the peak of military persecution, many of the then pro-democracy activists, including his leader in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Chief Anthony Enahoro, fled the country and went into exile. Adesanya remained in Nigeria, working for the cause of the masses alongside such figures as Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba and a host of others.

When General Sani Abacha, Babangida's successor, attempted to transform from a military head of state to a civilian president, Adesanya stood against him.

On 14 January 1997, an attempt was made on Adesanya's life. He had just left his law chambers in his chauffeur-driven car when Abacha's killer squad led by Barnabas Jabila (Sergeant Rogers) struck.

The then-74 year old, who was the son of a famous and powerful traditional healer, told his driver to continue driving; assuring him that no single bullet would hit him or the driver.

By the time they were done, the windscreens of the car were shattered and the seats were perforated by bullets. Neither he nor his driver was injured. According to Wikipedia, the car, a Mercedes-Benz, was ultimately transferred to the ownership of a Lagos museum.

The elder statesman and pro-democracy activist died on April 27, 2008 at the age of 85..

Timothy Adegoke’s Death: Abuja Court Denies Hotel Owner Bail, Adjourns Case till January 2022

Adegoke

A Federal High Court in Abuja has on Thursday denied Dr. Rahmon Adedoyin, the detained proprietor of Hilton Hotels, Ile-Ife, Osun State; a bail leave but granted him access to medical facilities of his choice, pending the hearing of his fundamental human rights enforcement suit.

Mr. Timothy Adegoke who was an MBA student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, allegedly strangled to death and shallowly buried within Adedoyin’s hotel.

In the court on Thursday when the matter came up for hearing, Adedoyin, who is also the founder of the Oduduwa University, Ile-Ife, through his counsel, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, informed the court that its order made on December 6, 2021 for the IG to appear in court, was duly served on the police boss as directed.

Adegoke said that on December 8, he personally visited the Police Headquarters in the FCT and reminded the authorities that the case would be coming up on Thursday. He however, expressed surprise that the IG was not in court and was not represented by any legal practitioner and prayed the court to take the ex parte motion already filed, as the IG had been put on notice as directed.

Adedoyin in the ex parte motion filed along with the fundamental human rights enforcement suit, prayed that the accused be admitted to bail pending the conclusion of investigation by the police or the determination of his fundamental human rights enforcement suit.

While delivering his ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo after listening to the defense counsel denied a bail leave but granted the request to the effect that the police should allow the detainee to have access to medical facilities of his choice pending the hearing and determination of the fundamental human rights suit.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter till January 21, 2021.

Meanwhile, the court had on Monday declined to grant any of the prayers contained in the ex parte motion and instead ordered Adedoyin to serve the motion and other processes on the police boss and consequently adjourned the matter till Thursday for hearing.

In a supporting affidavit, Chief Segun Aworinde, who described himself as Adedoyin’s younger brother, said despite being informed that the detainee was hypertensive and diabetic, the police had refused to release him or allow him access to quality health facility since he was arrested on November 15, 2021.

It should be recall that the autopsy report on late Adegoke, has been reportedly submitted to the police headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, according to informed sources. Reliable sources disclosed that, “Adegoke died of severe trauma while his internal and external organs were intact. The internal organs like heart, kidney, livers and others could not be subjected to test because they are already in the advanced decomposition stage as at the time of carrying out the test; so they could not do that.”

The autopsy report was said to have established that both internal and external organs are complete, and they are in the normal position that they are ought to be.

Sources stressed that medical experts could not do a toxicology test on the body because the stomach had decomposed and was melting while they are carrying out the test.

“Severe trauma led to the death. I don’t know the type of trauma that he was subjected to before his death because the severe trauma that was arrived at, was an open-ended conclusion.

“Trauma could be as a result of hitting him with sticks or he falls, or sickness, or anything”, the sources revealed.