DSS Robbery Scandal: agents stole money meant for Senate President Saraki; Cover-Up Tricks
The Department of State Security (DSS) has issued a release disclosing that some its agents took part in the robbing of a Bureau De Change in Abuja. Curiously, the agency’s release, which was signed by a spokesman, Tony Opuiyo, failed to provide details of the robbery, apparently in an effort to cover up the ultimate ownership of the stolen money, according to SR.

However, an independent investigation has confirmed that the robbery took place on November 20, 2015 near the home of Senate President Bukola Saraki in Abuja.

Saraki had frequently used bureau de change agents to carry out money laundering
since his days as governor of Kwara State, a fact detailed in police reports of his money laundering activities.

Sahara Reporters learnt that when Saraki needed some cash with which to bribe judges handling his numerous challenges to his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau, he often called on bureau de change agents to help transport the cash, sometimes after converting it to foreign currency, which is much easier to move around.

Our reliable sources, in confirming Saraki’s part in the bizarre heist, said the DSS had yet to determine the exact amount of cash Saraki was trying to raise at the time of the robbery, but they insisted it was in Billions of Naira.

A source familiar with the DSS investigations said the agency’s operatives attached to the Senate President were always aware of the senator’s procurement and movement of cash. However, on this occasion, Saraki decided not to use his DSS agents to escort the cash, since he feared “all eyes were on him and on some of his details, too.” Instead, the bureau de change operator was to make his own arrangement for police officers to accompany him as he moved the cash to Saraki’s home.

Unknown to both Senator Saraki and the bureau de change operator, the senator’s security detail had a plan of their own. They recruited some of their colleagues, including army Captain Hussein Ishaku Mshelia, to waylay the bureau de change operator on his way to Saraki’s home. The robbers stole the money by staging a perfect "sting operation". The security agents who carried out the heist were dressed in DSS camouflage and strategically positioned themselves in and around Saraki's house.

When the delivery vehicle was about five minutes away from Senator Saraki's house, several heavily armed men dressed in DSS vests and military camouflage struck and rounded up the bureau de change operators conveying the money. The agents reportedly told the bureau de change operators that they were under arrest for money laundering, specifically for moving such a huge amount of cash without any evidence of official transaction. The three policemen hired by the bureau de change operators left as soon as the armed interceptors presented identity cards that showed that they were truly DSS operatives.

As soon as the police escorts left, convinced that the DSS agents were truly on official assignment, the armed agents, among them some DSS operatives attached to Saraki, told the bureau de change operators that they knew where the money was being moved to and aware that the deal was illegal.

When the main bureau de change operator telephoned Saraki to report his trouble, the senate president was said to have instructed him not to mention his name at all. But Saraki did not know that some of the agents who had planned and executed the interception and heist were his security agents. Our source said Saraki initially thought the security men who had caught the bureau de change operator were from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Thereafter, the DSS agents who planned the operation originally demanded N350million in order to let the vehicle conveying the cash to move on. After much negotiation, they were paid N310million.

Shortly after the robbery, the suspects were identified and detained at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. Some of the suspects, confirmed to be SSS personnel attached to Senator Saraki, have undergone several interrogations. Sahara Reporters learned that, as a result of the heist, Senator Saraki’s DSS detail, including his chief security officer, named Paul, and chief detail, named Abdulrasheed Ahmadu Maigari, had been reassigned to the DSS headquarters. Another set of DSS agents have been deployed to Saraki.

Saraki, who enjoys a cozy relationship with the Director General of DSS, Musa Lawal, personally contacted the DG to request the return of Paul, the senator’s erstwhile CSO. A source within the agency told Sahara Reporters that, despite the senator’s request, both Mr. Paul and Mr. Maigari remained at the headquarters where they also underwent interrogation before the DSS released some names today.

The DSS press release, which was authorized by the DG, was instructive in its omission of crucial details, including the date, time and location of the robbery. According to SR, the omissions were designed to conceal Saraki’s role as the recipient of the stolen funds.

hmm
The foul fart smells really bad.

Saraki is corrupt. Agreed. But, don't weave silly tales around him.

I have nothing to comment on Saraki's issue because he has always been like that for long.

Please nairalanders, today is my is my birthday, celebrate with me with your likes...

With all this money this people apc/pdp are looting I can't but jst pray to God should save this county from all this people because non of them holy at all


Ka sha ma Dupe

Itiswell oooh

Okay o

Nigerians eagerly await the first corruption conviction of this govt. That is what I campaigned and voted Buhari for.

I understand some steps are being taken, but the whole process need some kind of acceleration.

No looter must go unpunished.
No plea bargain.