Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have apprehended a suspect, one Udeme Monday Stephen, allegedly involved in an attempt to assassinate the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, in Benin city, the Edo State capital, on 24 February.
Among other members of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), who escaped death by the whiskers were a former national chairman of the ruling All progress Congress (APC) Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata.
New Telegraph reports that shortly after the attack, Stephen,had posted on his X account @stevetom788. He claimed responsibility for the attack and threatened further attacks on Obi.
Stephen stated online that Obi was lucky to have escaped in Benin, and vowed that the former presidential candidate wouldn’t be that lucky 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,” posted Udeme.
A top security source disclosed that, no sooner had Stephen issued the threat than DSS operatives began covert investigation, deploying forensic analysis to track and arrest him.
The reliable source further disclosed that the 26 year-old suspect teaches at Jessica High School in Eliozu, Rivers State, at Umuehere Community, in Obio-Akpor LGA of the state.
He said: “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 declared, adding that Stephen would soon be charged to court.”
