IPDI: Ijaw group sends SOS to FG over arrest of its spokesman by DSS

By Loveth Ojogun

The  Ijaw People’s Development Initiative has lampooned the DSS over the alleged arrest of its spokesman, Comrade Daniel Ezekiel.

In a statement issued in Benin, Edo State on Thursday, June 20, by the National President, IPDI, Comrade Ozobo Austin and made available to GbaramatuVoice, said that the habit of the DSS was a disappointment and lawless.

Here is the full text of the press statement:

“It is so shameful what Nigerian security agents have turned to in the hands of criminals, who are supposed to be rotting in prison. We are dismayed over the unlawful, barbaric arrest and detention of our spokesman Comrade Daniel Ezekiel. 

“The DSS in Benin are a disappointment, same DSS that refused to act on Ezekiel’s petition against one Robert Okubo, but hastily went to arrest Daniel Ezekiel when the supposed criminal told them lies over a matter that is in the court.

“Ezekiel was chained and detained in DSS custody for over 8 hours and was released on the swift intervention of good spirited Ijaw leaders at about a 8:pm yesterday, June 19, 2019, in Benin.

“Mr. Robert Okubo was a cultist and now an ex-militant. He seized the opportunity of ex-President Yar’Adua amnesty programme. But despite being an ex-militant and privileged to work in the previous Edo state government, Okubo refused to change from killing fellow Ijaw brothers. 

“He has unlawfully killed and disabled  a lot of people in Olodiama Kingdom in the state who were opposed to his criminal activities for the past 10 years. 

“He induced terror in the entire Olodiama Kingdom. No one dared him and went free. He is a self styled Warlord in the Olodiama kingdom. He remains a terror and a tool of oppression to harmless citizens, and decides to make life miserable for law abiding citizens of Olodiama people, using state cohesive power and his closeness to corridors of power to torture, maim and frame up and arrest anyone who is against his tyrannical dispositions, instead of being an agent of development, peace and law keeper.

“Based on these facts, our spokesman wrote petition to Nigeria Police Zone 5, and the Department of State Security (DSS) on April 23 2019 for Robert Okubo to be investigated and duly prosecuted. While waiting to hear from the DSS over our petition, Robert Okubo ordered his thugs to unleash mayhem on one Mr. Edafe Avro who was comatosed, and in the process he lost one of his eyes. 

“This brazen act of lawlessness and ‘above the law’ posture of Robert Okubo, made us to do follow up letters to His Excellency Godwin Obaseki and the DSS on June 12 2019. 

“To our greatest shock, our spokesman on getting to the DSS office in Benin, Mr. Zakari  (PSO), who is a DSS personnel  and also a very close confidant of Robert Okubo chased and threatened to lock our spokesman up if he does not get out of their office. The letter was refused to be accepted.

“It is shameful that the DSS which refused to act on Daniel Ezekiel’s petition against Okubo, allowed itself to be manipulated by a man with questionable character to turn against the petitioner. 

“The DSS in Benin is a big disappointment. A man who is under investigation by the police in Zone 5 could manipulate DSS? What a pity? What right does a criminal have under the law to arrest anybody? 

“This can only be seen in Nigeria. This is the height of lawlessness of the DSS in Benin, it is appalling that security agents now choose to be friends of criminals, rather than being friends to law abiding people in Nigeria. This equally shows that the DSS in Benin are for the highest bidders.

“In an attempt to evade justice, Okubo tried to stop his investigation by instituting a suit of label against our spokesman. On Tuesday June 18 2019 was a day fixed for the hearing of the case of Robert Okubo brought against him by our spokesperson. 

“Robert refused to appear in court.  While comrade Daniel Ezekiel, our spokesman, was in court premises, DSS personnel numbering 10 invaded the court premises and kidnapped him in Gestapo manner to their office, where he was manhandled and brutally chained like a criminal, with Robert Okubo bragging up and down before him that he does not know who he is. 

“In his presence, Robert Okubo handed over money to them for a job well done in humiliating our spokesman. What an abuse of office by the DSS?

“Most disgusting is the arrest of Ezekiel over a matter that is in the court. Okubo sued for label and should have allowed the court to preside over it. This is an abuse of court process. The court should charge Okubo for contempt in the next adjourned date.

“This is not only absurd but disgusting that a criminal could be treated and pampered with the kid’s gloves, while DSS descended so low and threw caution to the wind, in becoming advocate for a murderer and abuser of the rights of law abiding individuals .

“We therefore call on President Muhammadu Buhari; National security adviser, Baba Gana; Senate President;  Speaker, House of Representatives; Inspector General of Police, IG;  AIG Zone 5 and Director General of DSS to bring to book Robert Okubo and these lawless DSS men in Edo state who have turned themselves into Robert Okubo’s errand boys, especially Zakari  who never hid his relationship with a criminal whom he is supposed to arrest and throw into prison.”