The Department of State Services, DSS, has arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of being involved in the recent attack on the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, in Benin City, Edo State.
Obi, alongside former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, and several leaders and members of the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, narrowly escaped death on February 24 when armed men opened fire during a political meeting in Benin.
Shortly after the attack, a man identified as Udeme Monday Stephen allegedly took to his X handle, @stevetom788, claiming responsibility and issuing further threats against Obi.
Stephen stated online that Obi was lucky to have escaped in Benin and vowed that the former presidential candidate would not be as fortunate next time.
“We warned Obi against his entrance into Edo State, but he mistook our resolve for his Obidiots online noise. Thank his stars he (Obi) survived this one…
“I learnt he’s going to my Rivers State… Na my men go handle that one and dem no dey miss target… Speak no peace to a bastard and wish him no long life, for he’s destined to die,” Stephen posted.
A counter-insurgency and security expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, revealed that the man has been arrested.
Makama made this known in a post via its official X handle on Monday.
According the post, a top security source revealed that immediately after the threat was issued, DSS operatives launched a covert investigation, deploying forensic tools to trace and apprehend the suspect.
According to the source, Stephen is a teacher at Jessica High School in Eliozu, located in the Umuehere Community, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“I strongly believe that the outcome of the agency’s forensic investigations implicated the suspect,” the source stressed.
“You know that, as a responsible security organisation saddled with the task of counter-espionage, VIP protection, among other asset protection duties, the DSS is always alive to its responsibility of investigating credible intelligence, irrespective of tribe or religion.
“They swiftly deployed operatives and the man who threatened Peter Obi was nabbed and is in custody,” the source said according to Makaka.
He added that Stephen would soon be charged to court.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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