BEVERLY HILLS, June 24, (THEWILL) – Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), lawyer to former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has revealed that the lawmaker was detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) for alleged gun running and aiding and supporting the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
He told reporters in Abuja that the search warrant produced by the DSS to search Abaribe’s Abuja residence on Thursday allowed it to “focus and search for arms and ammunitions and any other incriminating document, while the alleged crime was aiding and supporting a proscribed body, i.e. IPOB.”
THEWILL recalls that the search came moments after the Senator, representing Abia South, was picked up by security agents at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, where he had gone for a haircut.
Ume said the ‘excruciating search of all corners and every item’ in the house lasted from about 5pm till 11:15 pm Friday revealing that 27 items were taken from his client’s home none of which was a gun or ammunition.
“Unfortunately, two of the 27 items include the two handsets of two USA citizens found in the house,” he said.
“One of the laptops taken included that of an educationist containing examination questions slated to be set for students on the 25th of June 2018.
“All pleas for these questions to be copied were refused.
“Senator Abaribe, the surety to Nnamadi Kanu, is to appear in court on 26th June 2018, but on 22nd June 2018, Senator Abaribe was arrested and detained incommunicado.
“The articulate senator who has contributed a lot to our nation building effort is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“His arrest was as shocking as it was curious. As his counsel, I have, long ago, complied with DSS stipulation for meeting with its detainees.
“I have also requested for a meeting with the D.G of the service to know the reason for his arrest.
“This man is a known strong voice of the Igbo nation; hence this is a clamp down on the region.”
Ume also said that Abaribe’s revelation that N30 billion was smuggled into the budget of the Power Ministry without the knowledge of the Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy may have also been one of the reasons for his arrest.
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