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•ISWA, Boko Haram leaders too
Romanus Ugwu; Christopher Oji, Abuja
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested former Benue State governor, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, over security issues in the state.
The former governor was arrested after the incumbent governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, allegedly petitioned the DSS over the security situation in the state as he (Suswam) was allegedly planning to make it ungovernable.
An aide to former Governor Suswam, who pleaded anonymity confirmed the arrest yesterday.
The aide, however, said although Suswam was being questioned, the DSS has not linked him to any crime.
The DSS had arrested the former governor in 2017, after it said it uncovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from a property allegedly belonging to him at 44, Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama,Abuja.
According to a statement by the DSS spokesman, Tony Opuiyo, last year, the operation had been informed by intelligence that some incriminating items were stashed in the boots of cars parked at the property.
The agency said after carrying out a raid on the property in the presence of two private security officers employed by the company, the following items were recovered: One glock pistol with two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition, a mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds, respectively, 42 extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack and one AK-47.
The search also revealed 21 certificates of occupancy and one offer of statutory right of occupancy, 23 luxury designer watches, and 45 keys to various exotic cars.
Meanwhile, the DSS has also announced the arrest of the leaders of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram terrorists at Kukuntu village, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Abuja. In a statement signed by Opuiyo, the service identified the arrested leaders as Bashiru Adams and Rufai Sajo.
It further noted that the arrests was part of its efforts to thwart the budding cells of the Islamic terror group, disclosing that it was equally a harvest of arrests of gunrunners and kidnap kingpins in different parts of the country.
The service specifically celebrated the arrest of members of the dreaded Basalube kidnap group in Abuja that were responsible for the kidnap of Sen. Ayodele Arise and a Portuguese, Emmanuel Machada, who died in their custody last year.
The statement read: “The DSS wishes to appraise the public of its successes in its determination to rid the country of crime. It is to this end that the service singularly or in conjunction with sister security agencies embarked on series of operations aimed at degrading or eliminating the capabilities of unscrupulous elements, including suspected kidnappers, cultists, fraudsters, militia members and terrorists.
“On June 17, 2018, at Karu village, Abuja, two members of the dreaded Basalube kidnap group, namely Usman, aka Siddi, and Muhammed, aka Ganaja, were apprehended. It would be recalled that the duo had been involved in several kidnap activities, notably those of Sen. Ayodele Arise on December 5, 2017, in Kogi State and a Portuguese national, Emmanuel Machada (late), earlier on October 24, 2017, during which two policemen were killed in the same Kogi State.
“In order to flush out the Basalube kidnap gang, the service further carried out an operation in which one of the group’s notorious members, Umar, was arrested on April 24, 2018, at Odigie village, Ovia North-East LGA, Edo State, alongside Ali, Mohammed, Manu and Umar for their complicity in the group’s numerous criminal acts.”
