The Department of State Services, DSS has said the former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, was in custody for alleged possession of assorted firearms.
The arms were said to have been found in cars belonging to the former governor. The weapons include AK-47, machine-guns, pistols and other ammunitions.
Also found during a raid of Dunes Investment Property in Abuja include keys to 45 exotic cars allegedly belonging to the former governor.
Several certificate of occupancy documents and 23 luxury designer wrist watches were also seized, according to the DSS in a statement over the week-end.
The statement read: “The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to inform the public that on 24th February, 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 25th February, 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;
(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.
“It is in the light of this latest development that the Service wishes to sound a note of warning to persons and groups that it will no longer tolerate any acts of lawlessness by those who ought to be law abiding and responsible citizens. The Service has also observed with total dismay the inciting utterances of some political actors whose activities heat-up the polity.
“It also wishes to express its disappointment with these politicians who, in their desperation, are engaged in hate speeches and even sponsorship of radio campaign jingles when the electoral umpire has not authorized such campaigns in line with the Electoral Act. More worrisome is the unpatriotic involvement of some media outfits in these divisive tendencies which negate their constitutional role as the fourth estate of the realm.
“In line with its statutory mandate of maintaining the peace and internal security of the country, the Service hereby restates its commitment to go after anyone no matter how highly placed who engages in acts capable of causing the breach of peace in the country.”