A top official of the State Security Service familiar with the SSS’ raid of the Akwa Ibom Government House has revealed that the Service found no arms and ammunition in the complex, but stumbled on “shocking stockpiles of U.S. dollars” Premium Times reports
The State Security Service (SSS) had on Thursday raided the Hilltop Mansion in a joint operation carried out by operatives from the agency’s headquarters in Abuja and a detachment from the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Service.
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| The immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, with the new state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel |
Some operatives had earlier told newsmen they found arms and ammunition in one of the rooms in the complex.
But another top official of the Service said Friday night the claim by his colleagues was an exaggeration. He requested not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“Our men went there expecting weaponry but we didn’t find arms,” he said. “Instead, we stumbled on a room filled with stockpiles of dollars.”
The official said the SSS team however left the dollars untouched for fear of the “political backlash that might result if we evacuate it. They had no instruction to evacuate it”.
One of our sources had earlier said the operatives initially wanted to evacuate the dollar notes but received instructions from their superiors in Abuja to let the notes be.
The secret police was said to have stormed the Hilltop Mansion based on security reports that suggested arms and ammunition were stored in a room there.
After ransacking the entire residence of the governor, which is yet to be occupied by the serving Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the operatives moved to guest houses and the presidential lodge, said to be currently in use by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio.
It was in one of the guest houses within the expansive complex, the source said, that the dollars were found locked up in a room.
The SSS could not be immediately reached to officially comment on the operation. The agency does not have a known spokesperson that could be reached for comments.
And its Director General, Lawal Daura, did not answer or return multiple calls to his telephone.
The raid has attracted harsh reactions from the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The Acting Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, while hosting Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, in his office Friday, described the raid as a civilian coup d’état.
Mr. Secondus said the action is part of the strategy of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to forcefully take some states won by the opposition PDP.
On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, demanded immediate sack of the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, who he accused of being behind the operation. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Loot to be shipped abroad.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the evidence to proof what they claimed to have found. Show us real evidence otherwise you are deceiving and confusing Nigerians.
ReplyDeleteThis is another attempt to muzzle the opposition in this country. This shows the same guise under which the ex NSA is being haunted. If any mopol had kept his rifle in thev room, the governor would have been arrested and accused of planning a coup. Now what is the crime in keeping foreign currency in a house? During one of rotimi amaechi, s tv interviews, two bundles of dollar bills were shown in his jacket pocket but that was waved away bc he is apc. Please this govt should start fulfilling his hastily made promises and stop beating about the bush.
ReplyDeleteDo u knw d meaning of stockpile? If u knw u'll not compare it wit bundle and if u don't knw check ur dictionary b4 commenting
Delete@5:23 Do you honestly believe everything u hear. They are only trying to justify their stupidity. How can a reasonable agency claim they saw arms knowing how sensitive Nigerians are to such allegations. And for lack of prove, they claim they saw stock pile, I can bet u that a desperate Daura, DSS DG will snap the money and seize it to vindicate their illegal action and now they give flimsy excuses when they lack evidence for arms. This is Bad for democracy, trying to crush opposition. Opposition makes governance sit up and delivers. What a shame to APC led admin.
DeleteExactly umpire....u r so on point....
DeleteThis is another attempt to muzzle the opposition in this country. This shows the same guise under which the ex NSA is being haunted. If any mopol had kept his rifle in thev room, the governor would have been arrested and accused of planning a coup. Now what is the crime in keeping foreign currency in a house? During one of rotimi amaechi, s tv interviews, two bundles of dollar bills were shown in his jacket pocket but that was waved away bc he is apc. Please this govt should start fulfilling its hastily made promises and stop beating about the bush.
ReplyDeleteI keep wondering his some fools comments here,why would democracy be practice dis way?PMB still believes he is still military head ni?dis whicthaunt is bad for democracy.Fayose said d right tin people are killing him,is he not right?we found ammunitions and bomb but again we didn't found weapon we only found dollars.Nawa o,Apc should not ruin democracy as pdp didn't do dese while in power and allowed democracy to thrive among us and even gave us grace to coexist.apc needs to be cautioned.
ReplyDeleteRubbish
DeleteAnother sheer inconsistencies that characterized Nigeria Security Reports.
ReplyDeleteNaija security this is a big blow, are we safe?
ReplyDeleteFrom large ammunition to stockpiles of dollar. Which way Nigerian security forces?
ReplyDeleteIs it not surprising that only PDP controlled states are stormed by EFCC? Is it not surprising that only PDP members are the corrupt ones in this country? Is it not surprising that Change
ReplyDeletemeans breaking the laws of the State on bogus charges and excuses. We are keeping records.
APC respect una selfs
ReplyDeleteThe story sounded bogus and or like a fable dss claimed to have stumbled on stock piled of dollars in a room while on the look out for arms based on a tip off but failed to take photograph of them,confisticate and subsequently evacute them to aso villa not only as a proof but for the president to see it physically, dss knowinly fully well that d current fight against curruption is more of retrieving proceeds of curruption whereever they are found. dss had done well in this regard they ought to have immediately call the press do the counting before them before evacuting them to a safe custody and await geniue proof of ownership.
ReplyDeleteThe story sounded bogus and or like a fable dss claimed to have stumbled on stock piled of dollars in a room while on the look out for arms based on a tip off but failed to take photograph of them,confisticate and subsequently evacute them to aso villa not only as a proof but for the president to see it physically, dss knowinly fully well that d current fight against curruption is more of retrieving proceeds of curruption whereever they are found. dss had done well in this regard they ought to have immediately call the press do the counting before them before evacuting them to a safe custody and await geniue proof of ownership.
ReplyDeleteNot the stock pile of dollars that is my problem; the report says, the mansion is yet to be occupied by the serving governor, my question is, why not? Akpabio the rogue is still the governor of Akwa Ibom State; as a result, the dollars makes sense. Mr Udom, you are also a big MUMU; does your home at Ewet Housing better designed and better secured than the Hiltop Mansion? Get your acts together man and stop being a stooge of Godwill Akpabio.
ReplyDelete