Former governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam, has been
arrested by Department of State Service, DSS, over an alleged connection with
the killings in the state.
Vanguard learned that he was invited by the agency on Tuesday over a
petition by a high ranking politician, alleging that he (Suswam) was habouring
Mr. Terwase Akwaza, a.k.a ‘Ghana’.
Former Benue State Governor, Gabriel
Suswam, has been invited by the Department of State Services, DSS.
Police had declared Akwaza wanted,
following the killing of about 17 people in Zaki Biam, Benue State, in March
last year.
He had also been alleged to be part
of those behind incessant killings in many Benue villages.
It was gathered that working on the
petition by the top politician, the DSS, which had arrested Suswam in February
last year, placed him on a closer watch until he was invited on Tuesday and had
since been held in custody.
Suswam’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN),
it was learned, went to the DSS office to see him, yesterday, but was not
allowed access.
When he was arrested last year, the
DSS said arms and ammunition and other incriminating items were recovered in
some exotic cars in a complex which it claimed belonged to the former governor.
In a statement issued by Tony
Opuiyo, DSS said then that it raided the building at 44, Aguiyi Ironsi Way,
Maitama, Abuja, and recovered keys of 45 exotic cars, 21 Certificates of
Occupancy, arms and ammunition.
The statement had read: “The
Department of State Services, DSS, wishes to inform the public that on February
24, 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.”
“Consequently, on February 25, 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.
“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.
“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 Suswam
who has already been invited by the Service and presently helping in the
investigations.”
Following last year’s arrest Mr.
Suswam was held in DSS custody for over two months and had to sue the
organization before he was granted an administrative bail
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