17th May
By Wisdom Patrick and Sade Ayodele, Lagos

He was confronted in his car near his home in Oke-Afa, Isolo in Lagos about 9 p.m. after he arrived from Saudi Arabia on the way to see Governor Bola Tinubu for an official meeting.

The car was riddled with bullets that rifled through its body.

Ikuforiji spoke at the weekend when two separate groups paid him solidarity visits in his office in Alausa, Ikeja.

One comprised Epe Councillors, led by the Council Chairman, Muftau Rufai, the other was made up of members of the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ),

He said the manner the assailants shot at him, non-stop, from different directions, showed that they were not armed robbers but targeted to kill the occupant of the car.

To him, the incident could have been politically motivated, because, since the debate on the Constitution amendment and the third term started, only the Lagos Assembly has strongly opposed the agenda.

"Something negative could come from that", he added.

"But let me tell you that I have not done any deal personally with anybody or friend since I arrived Nigeria three years ago. Therefore, I have no cause to doubt any friend. If there is any reason (the incident) happened, it cannot be but political because, I repeat, I have no shady deal with anybody.

"We all know that there is no House that is as vocal against the third term as the Lagos House. Something negative could come from that – but at the same time, I am not ruling out rivalry on the local scene.

"With the manner in which they operated, there is no way I can be convinced that they were armed robbers. It was more than an ordinary armed robbery case. They were actually targeting the owner’s corner, thinking that a driver would be driving me.

"A robber whose intention is to snatch a car would not also aim at deflating its tyres; if so, how do you expect him to go away with the car".

Just after the incident, Ikuforiji had recounted that "the attackers did not take anything from me. I would have been a dead man by now, if my driver was with me that day. My attackers all directed their bullets to where I normally sit if my driver is with me. They did not know there was nobody there as I drove the vehicle myself".

Nonetheless, he pledged to his guests on Monday that he would not be deterred, rather, he would "continue to fight the just cause of the masses because it is better to die fighting for justice than to die without making an impact".

The police are yet to make any headway in the search for the attackers.

Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adebayo, confirmed that although investigation is going on "we are yet to make any arrest. That does not mean that we have rested the case or that nothing is happening, No. We are keeping a close tab on our leads, and by the grace of God, we would soon have a breakthrough".

Police had earlier said they had begun the hunt for the gunmen.

Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Bode Ojajuni insisted that "since a case has been reported to the police, be sure that we will start the investigation. Our men are already out for the exercise and you can be sure that they would do their best".

An unofficial source stated that the police have arrested some persons but Ojajuni did not confirm or deny it. He said such information is capable of jeopardising investigation.