TheNewsGuru

Tag: dss

  • Alleged 11bn oil scam: Ifeanyi Ubah sues DSS, seeks release from custody

    Alleged 11bn oil scam: Ifeanyi Ubah sues DSS, seeks release from custody

    The Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, has sued the Department of State Services , DSS, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over what he termed unlawful detention by the security agency.

    Ubah’s lawyer, Mrs. Ifeoma Esom, who appeared before Justice Mohammed Idris on Tuesday with an ex parte application, claimed that her client had been in detention since May 6.

    She urged the judge to order the DSS to release Ubah to prevent the security agency from coercing him to accede to “whatever conditions they impose on him in exchange for his freedom.”

    Upon hearing the ex parte application on Tuesday, Justice Idris ordered the DSS to bring Ubah before him on May 12, 2017, to show cause why the businessman should not be released unconditionally.

    In an affidavit filed in support of the application, the Secretary of Capital Oil and Gas Limited,George Oranuba, claimed that the DSS arrested his boss on account of allegations levelled against him by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.

    According to Oranuba, the issue had become a subject of litigation and was already before the court.

    Oranuba, however, said despite the subsisting suit, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the DSS still invited Ubah for questioning.

    According to him, Ubah had earlier been detained from March 24 to April 14, 2017.

    The DSS had claimed that it arrested and detained Ubah for what it termed an act of “economic sabotage” involving an alleged diversion of petroleum products worth about N11bn.

    The DSS claimed that the said petroleum products, belonging to NNPC Retail, stored in the Capital Oil farm in Lagos, went missing under controversial circumstances.

    However, the company secretary, Oranuba, said the agreement leading to the keeping of the petroleum product with Capital Oil, allowed “conversion and diversion of IT products by operators as long as the operator is prepared to re-deliver the products within seven days of demand by the owner of the product or to pay a penalty for non-re-delivery.”

    According to him, failure to re-deliver did not amount to a crime but is a mere breach of contract, which can be remedied by payment of a penalty to the owner.

    “The agreement expressly states that any penalty due for non-re-delivery is to be treated as a debt and I verily believe that law enforcement agencies are not allowed to operate as debt collectors,” he said.

    Oranuba claimed that NNPC is indebted to Capital Oil and Gas Limited in “excess of N13bn yet the company did not call law enforcement agencies to collect the debt, despite the length of time NNPC has held on to the money.”

  • DSS frees Ex-Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam

    DSS frees Ex-Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam

    Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has been released by the Department of State Service (DSS) after spending 70 days in detention.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the DSS arrested Suswam on Sunday, February 25th, 2017, on the allegations that car keys, certificate of occupancy of landed properties, among others were found in his residence.

    DSS also alleged that a gun was found in his apartment during the raid.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the DSS, had earlier said that it won’t release the former governor because he is yet to give up the needed information that will facilitate his release.

    However, Suswam, through his lawyer, recently slammed the DSS with a N10bn suit bothering on violation of his fundamental rights.

    Though details of his release were still sketchy as at the time of filing this report, a chieftain of the PDP, Barry Idoga Odeh and former Chairman of Ohimini LGA of Benue State, Hon. Sunny Mark who spoke with Daily Post confirmed that the former Governor has been released.

    “Yes, I just finished speaking with one of his closest allies and he confirmed to me that Suswam was released some minutes ago”, Mr. Odeh said Sunday evening

  • JUST IN: DSS arrests Ifeanyi Ubah

    The Department of State Services, DSS, on Saturday said it has arrested Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah

    The department made this disclosure in a statement by its spokesman, Tony Opuiyo

    Opuiyo said the former guber aspirant in Anambra State was arrested on Friday in connection with the theft of petrol kept by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in his tank farm in Lagos. The product was valued at over N11 billion.

    The agency said Ubah’s action amounted to economic sabotage, with “capacity to negatively impact on national economy”.

    “In furtherance of his gimmicks to undermine the government and people of Nigeria, he has incited members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a critical player in the downstream sub-sector of the Petroleum Industry, to refuse/stop the lifting of products.

    “This is part of his plans to curry their sentiments and cause them to embark on strike and also stage protests in his favour with the ulterior motive of arm-twisting the NNPC to abandon the cause of recovering the stolen products. The implications of this on law and order is, in fact, a common knowledge. It is consequent upon this that the Service arrested and will prosecute him forthwith.

    ” The public is hereby reassured that the Service will collaborate with appropriate agencies to ensure that the mischievous activities of any person or group(s) to engage in illegal activities will not affect the effective distribution of products across the country. It will also support such agencies to bring to book individuals or companies involved in any criminal act that undermines the nation’s economy,” the statement added.

  • Army, DSS arrest 2 suspected thugs, recover arms, ammunition in Anambra

    The Nigerian Army in collaboration with operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) said they have arrested two suspected thugs and recovered some arms, ammunition and other items in Anambra.

    Col. Sagir Musa, Deputy Director Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Onitsha.

    “Following intelligence report, Operatives of the DSS, Anambra Command and a patrol team from 302 General Support Regiment Onitsha, successfully carried out a Cordon and Search Operation on three identified locations.

    “The locations are in Amansi – Umuru, Orukabia and Graceland Housing Estate, Nteje general area, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra.

    “The operation was conducted in the early hours of Sunday April 23, 2017 at about 06:00 a.m.

    “In the three areas that were searched, specifically, in building number 8, Chukwunonso Ndulue Street in Graceland Housing Estate, Nsugbe near Onitsha, two suspects were arrested,” he said.

    Musa said items such as seven pump action guns, 44 Cartridges, one hunter knife and two cutlasses were recovered from the suspects.

    According to him, the three mentioned communities have been engaged in hostile land and chieftaincy dispute which led to the gruesome murder of three civilians allegedly by suspected thugs.

    Musa explained that the areas had been under security surveillance for sometime now and that was the basis for the Cordon and Search operation in the localities.

    He said the suspects and exhibits would be handed over to the police for further investigation.

    The deputy director urged members of the public, especially in the affected communities, to continue to give useful information and report any suspicious movement of person or object to security agencies.

     

     

     

    NAN

     

  • JUST IN: DSS raids PenCom office, summons ex-DG over refusal to quit office

    JUST IN: DSS raids PenCom office, summons ex-DG over refusal to quit office

    Following her refusal to quit office despite a formal release from the presidency stating her sack as the Director General, the operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS on Saturday raided the office of National Pension Commission (PenCom) in Abuja, in obvious search for the sacked DG, Mrs Chinelo Anohu- Amazu.

    TheNewsGuru.com gathers that the ex-PenCom DG was said to have continued giving instructions as at Friday (yesterday) in spite of her sacking by the President.

    When the DSS operatives visited the PenCom office on Saturday (today), Anohu-Amazu was said to have evaded arrest and gone into hiding.

    However, the DSS operatives mandated her to appear at the its headquarters in Abuja on Monday for question.

    Details later…

  • We won’t release Suswam until he cooperates with us – DSS

    We won’t release Suswam until he cooperates with us – DSS

    The Department of State Services, DSS, on Wednesday said that it won’t release the former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam who is currently in their (DSS) custody because he is yet to give up the needed information that will facilitate his release.

    This was revealed on Wednesday In a statement by its spokesperson, Tony Opuiyo.

    The secret police said Suswam’s continued detention which had lasted for over a month was legal.

    Opuiyo said, “The case of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, is typical.

    “The Service has continued to hold him in line with the dictates of the law – more so that he has not cooperated on the issues concerning the recovery of large cache of arms at his facilities.”

    DSS stressed that it has “valid detention warrants” to keep Suswam, adding that “he will be charged accordingly, once the investigations are concluded.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the secret police had in February 2017 arrested the former governor over allegations of fraud and illegal possession of arms.

    Operatives of the DSS had recovered some weapons from Suswam’s Abuja property during his arrest.

    Weapons recovered included, Glock pistol with two magazines and a total of 29 rounds of ammunition, Mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds respectively; forty-two (42) extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack; and one AK-47 rifle.

    Other items recovered include, twenty-one Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and one (1) Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy; 23 luxury designer watches; and 45 keys to various exotic cars were also said to have been recovered from the property.

  • Court orders DSS to produce Suswam for arraignment

    Court orders DSS to produce Suswam for arraignment

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday ordered the Department of State Service (DSS) to produce former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam in court on May 11 for his arraignment.

    The Federal Government had accused Suswam and two others of diverting N9.7 billion being part of funds from the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme.

    The fund was allegedly diverted between 2012 and 2015 while Suswam was the governor of the state.

    The other defendants facing the 32-count charge are the former Commissioner of Finance, Mr Omadachi Oklobia and former Accountant, Benue State Government House, Mrs Janet Aluga.

    The arraignment was, however, stalled following Suswam’s absence in court.

    Suswam and Oklobia are also standing trial at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on different matter bordering on embezzlement of state funds.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Suswam is currently in the custody of the DSS over another matter bordering on an allegation of illegal arms possession.

    Mr Aminu Alilu, the prosecuting counsel, told the court that Suswam could not be served with the charge because he (Suswam) was being held by the DSS.

    “Efforts to serve him in accordance with Section 2 (3) of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act failed, therefore we served his counsel in compliance with Section 379 (3) of the ACJA, instead,” he said

    Alilu further said the prosecution also made futile attempt to serve the ex-governor through the DSS.

    “We have a letter to that effect and the acknowledged copy by the office of the DSS,’’ he said.

    Mr Adedayo Adedeji, counsel to Suswam on other matters, said the prosecution misled the court to submit that Suswan refused to be served.

  • Alleged N310million theft: DSS clears Saraki, others

    Alleged N310million theft: DSS clears Saraki, others

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has cleared Senate President Bukola Saraki and other members of the National Assembly over their alleged involvement in a theft of N310million.

    It described the story as “malicious falsehood” being spread by one of its dismissed officers, Abdulrasheed Maigari.

    A senior officer of the Service told This Day Newspapers in an interview: “The story making the rounds that the sum of N310 million belonging to the Senate President was stolen in 2015 is a malicious

    “From our investigation, the money in question did not belong to the Senate President or any member of the National Assembly for that matter.

    “The investigation conducted by the DSS and the confessional statement made by Abdulrasheed Maigari, a suspect in the case, did not support this claim at all,” he said, adding: “Maigari’s recent claim in the media is nothing but a made up story to achieve a hidden motive.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Ologun on Sunday debunked the allegations linking the Senate President with the N310million, that was said to be stolen from a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator in November 2015.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Maigari was recently arrested by a combined operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit from the Abuja Police Command, alongside the suspected gang leaders, Emeka Kelvin and Ndubuisi Prince Uzor on March 26.

  • Army, DSS arrest 3 suspected foreign Boko Haram members

    Army, DSS arrest 3 suspected foreign Boko Haram members

     

    The Nigerian Army in conjunction with the Department of State Service (DSS) has arrested three Chadians in Gome State, suspected to belong to the Albarnawi faction of the Boko Haram terrorists group.

    Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested on Sunday after a painstaking tracking.

    Usman identified them as Bilal Muhammed Umar, Bashir Muhammed and Muhammed Maigari Abubakar, adding that they were arrested at Arawa and Mallam Inna areas of Gombe.

    “They were reported to be members of Albarnawi faction of the Boko Haram that operates in Chad and mostly northern part of Borno but came to Gombe State for another heinous assignment.

    “During the operation, one of them, Bilal Muhammed Umar attempted to escape and was shot in the leg. He was, however, apprehended and is receiving medical treatment,” he said.

    He said the the terrorists were arrested with Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials that they could have put together to attack parts of the state.

    “The suspects are in custody undergoing preliminary investigation,” Usman added.

     

  • DSS arrests ex-Gov Suswam, recovers guns, 45 exotic car keys, 21 C of O, others

    DSS arrests ex-Gov Suswam, recovers guns, 45 exotic car keys, 21 C of O, others

     

    Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS on Sunday arrested the immediate past governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam over some items recovered from properties allegedly belonging to him.

    The DSS in a statement by its spokesman, Tony Opuiyo said the search of the building at 44, Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, Abuja, led to the discovery of keys of 45 exotic cars, 21 Certificates of Occupancy, arms and ammunition.

    The statement by the DSS reads in full:

    The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to inform the public that on 24th February, 2017, between 2100 hours and 0242 hours, the Service executed a search warrant, at the property of Dunes Investment and Global Properties Ltd, located at No 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama-Abuja.

    The operation was informed by intelligence that some incriminating items were stashed in the boots of cars parked at the property, particularly a Mercedes Benz S550 (BWR 135AH), and Masarati 4.7 (BWR 207 AJ), which were subsequently confiscated.

    2. Consequently, on 25th February, 2017, about 1000hours, in the presence of two (2) private security officers employed by Dunes Investment, the cars were searched and the following items were recovered:
    Weapons:
    (i) Glock pistol with two (2) magazines and a total of Twenty-Nine (29) rounds of ammunition;
    (ii) Mini-Uzi with two (2) magazines containing 10 rounds and 4 rounds respectively;
    (iii) Forty-two (42) extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack; and
    (iv) One (1) AK-47.

    3. Other items recovered include:
    i. Twenty-one (21) Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and one (1) Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy;
    ii. Twenty-three (23) Luxury designer watches; and
    iii. Forty-five (45) keys to various exotic cars.

    4. Following this discovery, the Service launched further investigation which revealed that the cars and the recovered items belong to the former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel SUSWAN who has already been invited by the Service and presently helping in the investigations.

    5. It is in the light of this latest development that the Service wishes to sound a note of warning to persons and groups that it will no longer tolerate any acts of lawlessness by those who ought to be law abiding and responsible citizens.

    The Service has also observed with total dismay the inciting utterances of some political actors whose activities heat-up the polity. It also wishes to express its disappointment with these politicians who, in their desperation, are engaged in hate speeches and even sponsorship of radio campaign jingles when the electoral umpire has not authorized such campaigns in line with the Electoral Act.

    More worrisome is the unpatriotic involvement of some media outfits in these divisive tendencies which negate their constitutional role as the fourth estate of the realm.

    6. In line with its statutory mandate of maintaining the peace and internal security of the country, the Service hereby restates its commitment to go after anyone no matter how highly placed who engages in acts capable of causing the breach of peace in the country.