President Goodluck Jonathan is in receipt of a forceful request by state security agents recommending the immediate demolishing of one of Abuja’s most popular supermarket, Amigos, but has surprisingly withheld an approval more than a week after investigators sealed the supermarket for its Lebanese owners alleged terrorism link.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how officials excavated ‘boxes’ from minor excavation works within Amigo. A security official involved in the activities however said no major weapons were recovered from the boxes, contrary to rumours, with only a pistol found in one of them.
Sources at the Department of State Security Service, SSS, told PREMIUM TIMES that the president has refused to communicate his decision on the matter to the Service, more than 72 hours, as is usual with reports sent by the department; stalling further work on the case, and raising concerns he may veto the proposal.

While the department recommends, in the report sent on Monday, that the sprawling mall, estimated at more than N5 billion be bulldozed and the area thoroughly frisked for concealed arms, it suggests Abuja’s biggest amusement park, Wonderland, also owned by the Lebanese, be immediately revoked by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA.

The property hosting the park is said to be owned by the Abuja administration and was only leased to the group for 10 years, our sources say.

With days passing and without a firm response from the president to what the SSS believes is need of urgent attention, investigators fear the proposal may be turned down by the president.

“We have sent in our report, but we can’t proceed without an approval by the president on such a matter of National Security,” a senior official of the SSS involved in the investigations said.
SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, did not respond to phone calls seeking to get the agency’s official reaction and next line of action.

The president’s office did not also respond to request for response to this story. Emailed request for comments to presidential spokesperson, Reuben Abati, on why the president has not decided, was unanswered; while his mobile telephone number was not available as at the time of this report.
Reasons for seeking demolition

Officials well briefed about Amigos / Wonderland investigations say the SSS’ recommendation that the supermarket be pulled down is based on three reasons: first, the security agency believes the place was used for stockpiling weapons.

Also, investigators they have evidence that proceeds of sales from the multi-billion enterprise have been used in funding terrorism; and lastly, the SSS is concerned a new administration after Jonathan’s may reallocate the property to the Lebanese group.

The last scenario is reflected upon the well-known case of the Indian business group, Vaswani brothers, who were deported by the Obasanjo administration for money laundering but were ushered back into the country at the advent of a successor administration of Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007.

The Jonathan administration has already faced criticisms for its response to what investigators say is a clear terrorism case, after the authorities took more than 24 hours since the discovery of weapons in Kano last week, before shutting down property linked to the suspects, including Amigos and Wonderland, both in the heart of the Nigerian capital. The Abuja property were sealed on Friday night while the Nigerian military had revealed the discovered weapons in a Kano property on Thursday evening.

Steven Jay01: Demolition of the structures is wrong.I would prefer if the government acquired it and sold it off to bidders of unquestionable character.I don't av to be an architecture to know that the floors can be excavated without demolishing the building

shangpearlz: DEMOLISH ASAP!!!
Dangerous stuffs cud b beneath

plainmirror: Waiting 4 dat Dummy's approval wil take enternity 4 Gods' sake.
Sss pls ignore †нэ mugu and proceed wit †нэ action.
ℓ know U̶̲̥̅̊я plan GEJ, shey Ʊ wan form anoda committee 4 am abi?

Ode!

Steven Jay01: Demolition of the structures is wrong.I would prefer if the government acquired it and sold it off to bidders of unquestionable character.I don't av to be an architecture to know that the floors can be excavated without demolishing the building

kevoh: Was around amigos yesterday after seeing a friend,while searching for a cab to take me back to my base I was immediately ordered by the soldiers posted to guard the place not to dare walking in front of the supermarket.I had to cross over, walk a few distance past amigos then cross back again. I never knew it was this serious.

Back to the topic, instead of demolishing why not leave the supermarket as it is,look for investors who are willing to continue running the market and change only the brand name 'amigos' to indicate it is owned by someone else now.#justsaying
what are we going to gain in its demolition? That's the question we should ask.

plainmirror: Waiting 4 dat Dummy's approval wil take enternity 4 Gods' sake.
Sss pls ignore †нэ mugu and proceed wit †нэ action.
ℓ know U̶̲̥̅̊я plan GEJ, shey Ʊ wan form anoda committee 4 am abi?

Ode!

Mynd_44: Since when do they need the president's premission? Can't they get a court order to tear the place down? Or has GEJ become both president and Supremem court judge?

The courts issue search permits and this should go to them too. But why tear a building down to search it? Is it not a waste of money and time when the building can be taken from the owners and sold to someone else.

Abeg someone should answer or try to answer these questions

Mynd_44: Since when do they need the president's premission? Can't they get a court order to tear the place down? Or has GEJ become both president and Supremem court judge?

The courts issue search permits and this should go to them too. But why tear a building down to search it? Is it not a waste of money and time when the building can be taken from the owners and sold to someone else.

Abeg someone should answer or try to answer these questions