by IBRAHIM SHA'BAN



SSS’ threatens to kill ex-detainee for ‘exposing illegal detention’

The ‘operatives of the State Security Service, ‘SSS’, have allegedly threatened to kill the informant who exposed how the agency detained a Nigerian citizen, Abdullahi Ahmadu, since 2013 without access to the court or family members, PRNigeria has reported.

It was reported last week reported that one Afiz Jamiu, who met Mr Ahmadu while in SSS custody between April 16 to May 10, 2019, deposed to an affidavit testifying that the victim has been detained by the SSS for six years without trial, access to family and friends as well as adequate medical attention.

However, Mr Jamiu’s exposition did not go down well with the ‘operatives’, a phone conversation obtained by PRNigeria at the weekend revealed.

In an over four minutes telephone chat with Mr Jamiu’s wife, one could hear a caller who said he was an ‘operative of SSS’ threatening to deal with Jamiu for his indiscretion despite being a beneficiary of assistance from the Service in the past.

The caller told the panicky wife in Pidgin English that her husband’s “act of foolishness” did not gone unnoticed and should be prepared to face the consequences when SSS operatives come visiting.

According to the caller, Mr Jamiu and his family should prepare for “hellish experience until death.”


Here is the excerpt of the phone conversation:


‘SSS Operative’: I just say (sic) I should pass information to you that you and your children will feel the impact (of what is coming). As a matter of fact, from now till Christmas, in one of the months, there will be an operation to arrest your husband and any attempt he makes, there is an order to gun him down. Shey (sic) you went to newspaper and saw your husband’s name, right? He went and told them that the person that he was in cell with has been detained for six years. Read Sahara Reporters…, some newspapers carried it as well, that SSS detained a person since 2013. The report claimed that Hafiz Jamiu told them every thing they knew. So as he has decided to expose and put SSS for trouble, ‘so for him life completely na trouble him go enter for him life till he die. He don enter the real trouble (sic)’.

Woman: Heey oh my God!

‘SSS Operative’: First and foremost,…. secondly, he was just saying what he does not know about the ‘SSS’ and it has been published in newspapers. For this indiscretion, he is going to face the tune. All these while I have gone out of my way to help him out but now… if he survives what is coming then he should go and give thanks to God. So, whatever happens to your husband, you the wife will also bear the consequences. Let me tell you…as he was quoted in the newspapers saying that he was with Ahmadu from April to May, he has said everything he needs to say. However, he cannot escape the consequences of what he has done as the DSS Operatives will definitely come for him like a terrorist that he will not even have the opportunity to go to cell this time around. So he should continue saying what he does not know and this time around if he makes any attempt at the point of arrest, they (SSS) will shoot and kill him. ‘Your husband dey foolish…as I help him life reach (sic)’.

Woman: I am not aware of this and they warned him the very day they released him that he should shut up his mouth!

Responding to the alleged threat, the SSS Spokesman, Peter Afunanya, dismissed it as “fake news and unbelievable.”.

According to Mr Afunanya, the SSS is a responsible organisation that adheres strictly to the rule of law and standard operating procedures.

“Does this sound believable? That SSS operatives threatened to kill anyone is unfounded and such fake news and misinformation should be disregarded in its entirety. The SSS is a responsible organisation and adheres strictly to rules of law and engagement and democratic principles. It has Standard Operating Procedures on all its activities; internal and external,” he said.

matify83:
According to Mr Afunanya, the SSS is a responsible organisation that adheres strictly to the rule of law and standard operating procedures.


I smell a lie

slimfit1:
This government hasn't stop this human rights abuse.

bigpicture001:
Who saids its false...?

SSS beat me and broke my leg nd corked a gun nd put in in.my head " on" nd threatened to kill me if I dont admit to what they want.....

Its not an investigative body, uts a toture house....they usually hv a building for extreme torture...useless organization that death is what I wish its agents!

ade002:
But to say the truth their are cases that cannot be resolved easily and justifiable reasons to hold suspects for a long period of time. Particularly suspected terrorist. the question is : can we trust our security agencies to make such decisions and how do we checkmate their excesses.
That is why we have courts .however we all know that our laws have a lot of loopholes..

Back to the issue : it will be a case of I say you say... If the threat is real making this info public may mitigate concerns temporarily.

jidemoh:
Outright falsehood!

Someone somewhere is playing a not too funny prank.

FarahAideed:
The level of lawlessness under the Buhari govt is something else so I will not be surprised

content208:


Stop speaking empty English. There is no justification anywhere for holding anyone without trial, access to a doctor, access to a lawyer, access to a court or access to his/her family for any extended period.

ade002:


You think so.

content208:


Why are you averse to legality? What happens to someone being innocent until proven guilty by a Court of competent jurisdiction?

Looks like living in Nigeria has mutilated your understanding about normality.

ade002:


On the contrary. You cant have about 7 billion people and expect them to all be normal. Their are people at each extreme .. That need to be locked up permanently keys thrown away.

Imagine a serial killer , killed over a hundred people and is now on death row we say justice is been served. What of those he\she killed. will they be ressurected or are they collateral damage.

May we not meet that evil we would have preferred locked away.

The chap was detained for 6 years. Have you wondered why he is still alive. Because it would have been easier for the DSS if he was found dead trying to escape

content208:


You can't call someone a serial killer if you don't have evidence backing that claim. And if your evidence is authentic, then it should be presentable in court for justice to be served. Locking him up without trial is wrong, an abuse of human right. it is also a sign that there is no reliable evidence to back the accusation.

Your last paragraph doesn't apply. Were you there when he was arrested? How are you sure he even committed any offense at all before being arrested and locked away without trial?

I pray you never find yourself locked away for no reason without trial; that is when you will realize that such a conduct is evil.

ade002:


My point is that their are reasons to detain one for that long. we hope his case is for the right reasons. If not....