The ceasefire declared by Vice President Atiku Abubakar in his war of attrition with President Olusegun Obasanjo may have suffered a major setback as operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) yesterday arrested the Vice President’s campaign Media Consultant, Mallam Garba Shehu.

A statement from the SSS Headquarters confirmed Shehu’s arrest, saying he was being held in connection with “on-going investigations of certain acts and plans capable of threatening the internal security of Nigeria.”
The statement signed by the SSS Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ado Muazu, said the security service “acted independently in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.”

But the Atiku campaign, which also complained that a documentary intended to smear the Vice President’s character, was about to be aired by a popular television network, claimed that Shehu might have been arrested on the orders of the President for his statements on the conflict in the Presidency.
The campaign said it believed its media consultant was being held at the SSS Headquarters, Asokoro District in Abuja, adding that it was the second time in two weeks that he would be the guest of the security service.
According to a statement in Abuja by the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Shehu was taken away from the campaign’s media office at Jabi District of the federal capital in the afternoon by the security operative who gave no reason for the arrest.

“In a lightning operation that took barely three minutes, the operatives led Garba down to a waiting Peugeot 406 car with Abuja registration number plate CY747ABJ, and drove him away at 1.45 pm to an undisclosed destination,” it said in the statement signed by one of its officers, Dr. Adeolu Akande.

The arrest came on the day the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had to postpone its consultation with the Vice President on his indictment for abuse of office by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Government Administrative Panel of Inquiry.
The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. John Odey, said it had to suspend the consultation following correspondence from the Vice President’s lawyers, Rickey Tarfa & CO., that the matter was subjudice.
Giving further details of Shehu’s arrest, the campaign said officers, “who claimed to have come from the National Operations Directorate of the SSS, who did not volunteer any information,” took Shehu away.

The Atiku campaign said its information was that Shehu was wanted to substantiate the allegations against the President in the ongoing face-off between him and his deputy, adding that he might also to be queried on allegations that he had been “bribing journalists” to publish statements from the campaign.
It said: “The position of the Campaign Organisation is that whatever has been said against the President in the unfolding persecution of Atiku Abubakar have been informed by facts and backed up with evidence, which have been deposed in a court of law, and does not feel obliged to volunteer anything to the SSS at this time.
“On the alleged bribery of journalists, nothing can be further from the truth. Whatever the media office has accomplished is because of the professionalism of the media and the commitment of the journalists to the principle of fair hearing.”
Alleging that a senior aide and an adviser of the President had procured, in breach of confidentiality rules, copies of cheque paid out to its media consultant by the Vice President, and that they were to be taken round media houses as evidence of bribes used to compromise journalists, the campaign said such action would not impress anyone.
It clarified that whatever cheque the presidential aides wanted to exhibit would not be more than those drawn on “the Vice President’s personal account, made out to Mallam Garba Shehu, Spokesperson of the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Organization, for the running of the office, including salaries of about 25 members of staff and money for procurement of support services and utilities such as electricity, diesel and others.”

Meanwhile, the PDP said yesterday that it had noted the reasons given by the Vice President for not honouring the invitation by the NWC over his indictment.
Atiku had in a letter by his lawyers said he could not attend the meeting because it was subjudice.
A statement signed by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Odey, quoted part of the letter thus: “the subject matter of your invitation to our client as conveyed in your letter to that effect dated 14 of September, 2006, touches squarely on a subject or/and issues, which are subjudice, i.e. before the court for determination.
“The Chambers thanked the party for it’s understanding and concluded that the Vice President has no choice but to decline the said invitation. “The NWC noted the Vice President’s response and the reasons therein,” the party said, adding: “The NWC calls on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Army to “honour the memory of the deceased in view of the their distinguished service to the nation,” while praying for the speedy recovery of survivors of the plane crash.
The NWC had last Thursday invited the Vice President to appear before it over his indictment by the EFCC and the administrative panel. But Atiku had gone to court, challenging the legality and constitutionality of the indictment.

Its like we are going back to the "dark days"

What are the reason why this guy was arrested? I was told he was granted bail this morning. i am still getting the scoop on this guy.

He's still doing the same job for the present regime. Shioor!

Shehu garba anzhere belle face