Why Senator Abaribe was arrested by DSS - Lawyer

Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume has said that the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe for allegedly aiding a proscribed group, the Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB) and gunrunning.

His lawyer said the DSS procured a warrant that allowed it to search Abaribe’s house and to “focus and search for arms and ammunition and any other incriminating document, while the alleged crime was aiding and supporting a proscribed body, i.e. IPOB.”

The senator representing Abia South was arrested by DSS operatives before his house was searched on Friday, June 22 and according to his lawyer, 27 items were taken away.

He said “but unfortunately, two of the 27 items include the two handsets of two USA citizens found in the house.

“One of the laptops taken included that of an educationist containing examination questions slated to be set for students on the 25th of June 2018.

“All pleas for these questions to be copied were refused.”

“Senator Abaribe, the surety to Nnamadi Kanu, is to appear in court on 26th June 2018, but on 22nd June 2018, Senator Abaribe was arrested and detained incommunicado.

“Yesterday (Friday) in the forenoon hours, our Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, a high ranking senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was arrested by officers of state security services.

“The articulate senator who has contributed a lot to our nation building effort is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“His arrest was as shocking as it was curious.

“As his counsel, I have, long ago, complied with DSS stipulation for meeting with its detainees.

“I have also requested for a meeting with the D.G of the service to know the reason for his arrest.

“All fell into refusal ears. At about 4:45pm, I was alerted that officers of the services were heading to the senator’s residence.

“I had to break my long wait at the DSS Headquarters and rushed to the senator’s residence.

He said: “this man is a known strong voice of the Igbo nation; hence this is a clamp down on the region.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday, June 22, in Abuja decried the arrest of SenatorEnyinnaya Abaribe by the DSS.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party expressed fears over the safety of the senator, who represents Abia North Senatorial District.

It described the arrest as “gestapo-style’’, adding that it had further confirmed earlier alarm that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government has commenced total clampdown on the opposition.

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