DSS arrests mastermind of 'plot' to overthrow Buhari

The Department of State Ser­vices ( DSS) has arrested one Jones Abari, aka Gen. Akotebe Darikoro, for the alleged mas­termind of a hoax plan to over­throw President Muhammad Buhari by the military.

A statement issued by an of­ficial of the service, Mr Tony Opuiyo in Abuja on Saturday said Abari was arrested in Yena­goa on July 21.

Opuiyo described the suspect as the leader of the Joint Revo­lutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF).

He said that Abari had con­fessed to other criminal activi­ties which included a threat to launch missile attacks on se­lected targets in Abuja and Aso Rock.

Others include writing threat messages to the management of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Shell Petro­leum Development Company (SPDC) demanding for N500 million and N250 million re­spectively.

He said that the suspect also masterminded the vandalism of NAOC trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw and bombing of SPDC oil pipeline.

In another development, the DSS said it had arrested a sus­pected terrorist, Bulama Ramat, at the Jabi Motor Park, FCT on July 21.

He said that prior to his arrest, Ramat was planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory and its environs in collaboration with other elements of an ex­tremist cell of the Boko Haram group.

Opuiyo said that the service also made other arrests within the month of July in Enugu, Ondo, Jos, Kaduna, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt and Kano states.

The service urged all citizens and residents to remain vigilant and report all suspicious per­sons, parcels or vehicles to the nearest security formation.

“Members of the public are further called upon to see our societal and individual safety as our collective responsibility,” he said.

He advised the public to sup­port security and law enforce­ment agencies with critical in­formation that would assist in providing a safe environment for all to carry out their legiti­mate businesses.

Meanwhile, President Muham­madu Buhari has expressed deep shock and horror at the shootings which recently rocked Munich, Germany.

Ten people, including a gun­man, were reported dead in the shooting spree which occurred at a shopping mall.

“On behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari sends most sincere his condolences to the families and friends of victims of the barbaric act.

“The President says it is quite unfortunate and inconceivable that the forces of evil do not relent on their activities, but expresses confidence that with the unanimity of purpose from all forces around the world, the workers and perpetrators of these evil acts will not prevail.

“The President also assures the people of Germany that Nigerians as a people are stand­ing with them at this time and are ready to assist in any way to defeat the planners and execu­tors of such crimes”, said an Aso Rock statement yesterday.