http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=26161 Jonathan campaign bus seized with arms in Ogun
•Amosun demands thorough probe
By Sunny Igboanugo, Johnson Ayantunji (Lagos) and Segun Adeleye (Abeokuta)
A bus belonging to the Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo Presidential Campaign was seized with arms in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State on Monday, presenting a scary scenario as the election approaches.
The bus, reportedly allocated to the Government Liaison Officer in Ijebu North Council, was detained at the Ijebu Igbo police station, but was later transferred to Abeokuta headquarters on the orders of the Police Commissioner, Musa Daura.
Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said items recovered from it included a pump action rifle and seven cartridges traced to the owner, Leke Adekoya
He confirmed that the gun was licensed.
According to Adejobi, the driver was beaten up by civilians who arrested him before the bus was taken to the police station.
The driver received injuries and is now in hospital.
Adejobi recounted that, “On the search of the bus, it was one pump action and seven cartridges found in the bus, and this was found to be licensed, and the owner is Adekoya. It is not true that large quantity of guns and ammunition were found inside the bus.
“Some boys took the bus to the Ijebu-Igbo police station with the claim that it was loaded with arms and ammunition. (Daura), on getting the signal, ordered the Area Commander in Ijebu-Ode and the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) in Ijebu-Igbo to search the vehicle.
“(Daura) ordered the search of the vehicle in the presence of other security operatives, including the State Security Services (SSS). There were no election materials found as rumoured.”
The case has been transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID), for further investigation, Adejobi added.
An eyewitness alleged that the bus was driven by Adekoya, an aide to Governor Gbenga Daniel.
Both Adekoya and another occupant were taken to Abeokuta police headquarters.
A video footage of the search was posted on the Internet by concerned citizens.
There was initial confusion as whether or not to search the bus in the full glare of those present, until the Area Commander insisted on involving all security agents to avoid accusation of cover-up.
State factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Dayo Soremi, had earlier raised the alarm that weapons were given to some persons to unleash terror on those not loyal to Daniel.
Soremi, a member of the Jubril Martins-Kuye PDP camp, is at loggerheads with the Daniel faction, and both groups deploy all manner of subterfuge to each another.
Recently, Nigerian Compass Deputy Sunday Editor, Femi Shodunke, was wounded by gunmen on his way home.
Shodunke had threatened to lead his colleagues on strike over months of unpaid salaries.
On Tuesday, attempts to speak to Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Director General, Dalhatu Tafida, and Spokesman, Sully Abu, were not successful.
Telephone calls and text messages to the lines were not replied at press time.
However, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun, condemned those behind the importation of arms into Ogun, a “dastardly and despicable act” with “grave implications for the peace and unity of the country.”
A statement issued by his Campaign Organisation, commended the police for their vigilance, but demanded a through and investigation to unmask the purveyors.
Amosun warned that the development is a bad omen for the 2011 election vote in Ogun as well as the country, because it may be the handiwork of do-or-die politicians.
He noted that the discovery, coming four days after the bombings in Jos, should not be taken lightly, as the merchants of death may seek to spread it South.
Before the latest killings in Jos, the deadly repercussion of arms finding their way into criminal hands had been demonstrated on October 1 in Abuja when twin bomb blasts during the independence anniversary snuffed life out of about 15 people, and injured several others.
On October 26, the SSS impounded 33 containers at the Apapa Ports, two days after Jonathan in Yenagoa decried the arms build up in the Niger Delta.
SSS Assistant Director (Public Relations), Marilyn Ogar, said the bill of laden showed that the containers had building materials, which proved to be false after a search.
Gun running through Nigeria’s porous land and sea borders is the sport of the lawless – such as smugglers, kidnappers, armed robbers, crooked politicians, and militants – who buy their way through the system.
Last year, an aircraft loaded with arms and ammunition was impounded at the Aminu Kano Airport in Kano by security agents.
On August 19 this year, two students of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) were among five suspects security agents paraded before reporters for allegedly trafficking in arms from neighbouring Chad Republic to Nigeria.
The SSS, which paraded them in the Maiduguri, said they were caught with rocket launchers, 50 AK47 rifles, and N4.8 million cash.
State SSS Director, Abdullahi Ahmed, said the suspects were caught trying to smuggle over 50 different sets of AK 47 riffles to Plateau and Taraba States.
Such arms up North have been used to devastate several states, including Plateau, Kano, Borno, Yobe, and Taraba by religious and ethnic bigots in recurring violence.
Smuggling with impunity is not limited to arms, however.
On July 16 last year, Customs Comptroller (Import and Export), Julius Nwagwu, told lawmakers in Abuja that smuggling is carried out by senior government officials and their wives.
And Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Director General, John Akanya, disclosed that he was receiving death threat calls daily for trying to clean up the system.
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