By KINGSLEY OMONOBI, SONI DANIEL & CALEB AYANSINA
ABUJA—The State Security Service, yesterday, handed over the six suspects arrested in connection with the killing of the Principal Private Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, to the police for prosecution.

The suspects, Mohammed Ibrahim Addullahi, Raymond Onaijite Origbo, Chikezie Edeh, Saidu Yakubu, aka Iman, Sani Abdullahi Abubakar and Hassan Bashiru, were handed over to the Special Armed Robbery Squad, SARS, at the Police Headquarters, Abuja.

SSS PARADES SUSPECTED KILLERS OF OYERINDE—State Security Service parades suspected killers of Oyerinde in Abuja yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Before the handing over, the SSS Deputy Director of Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, had denied claims that the suspects paraded in respect of Oyerinde’s murder were the same earlier paraded in connection with the abduction of two expatriate construction workers.

Ogar said it was not true that the three young men paraded by the service on March 14, 2012 in connection with the kidnap of Christopher McManus and Franco Lamolinara of Stabilini Visinoni Construction Company were the same shown to the public on August 1, 2012 as the killers of Oyerinde.

SSS denies  re-cycling of suspects

She explained that the three suspects, who abducted the two foreign workers, were Bashir Ibrahim aka Adda’u, Ibrahim A. Habibu and Gambo Maiborodi, whose ages ranged between 19 and 20 years while those who killed Oyerinde were men between the ages of 26 and 46.

Ogar said, “For the avoidance of doubt, both groups have no link whatsoever, as they were apprehended for difference offences, at separate locations and at different times. The service therefore wishes to state emphatically that at no time has it recycled suspects.

“Even though some of the suspects were paraded in the same clothes, they are in no way the same and any attempt to link both groups is diversionary and intended to trivialise and politicise the murder of Oyerinde, thereby aggravating the pains and agony of his family and friends.” It was not immediately clear when the police would begin the trial of the suspects, as they indicated that there was need to harmonise the different sets of suspects before proceeding with the case.

The 10 suspects who are presently in police custody are; Muhammed Baba Yelwa, Idris Abdulhamid, Hassan Aliyu, Garba Usman Maisamari, Danjuma Musa, Muritala Usman, Auta Umoru and Umaru Adamu (alias Duna), Moses Asamah Okoro (alias Moses Auchi) and Rev. David Ugolor.

However, the alleged mastermind of the killing, Rev. David Ugolor who was in police custody secured an order from court to be released from detention, but the order was not obeyed by the Police.

Police to contest court order on Ugolor

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, explained that the Nigeria Police Force and SSS were not in any way having unhealthy rivalry as insinuated in some quarters.

“Rivalry between Police and SSS does not exist, we are intricately joined together”, he confirmed, revealing that, the Police and SSS are to harmonize their case files for proper prosecution.

“It may interest you to know that Abubakar Lawal, one of the suspects currently in SSS custody was arrested by the police. He was arrested by men of Rejiya/lemo Police station in Kano on May 31, 2012 and handed over to SSS in the best tradition of inter-agency cooperation. Efforts are on going to consolidate and harmonize the two case files.

“Our goal is not to prosecute or convict at all cost. Our goal is simply to secure the interest of justice, to get justice not only to those in the detention, but also to the deceased, the victim, his friends, relatives and to Nigerians. We will not be stampeded to do anything that is not professional”, Mba added.

Speaking on the order secured by Rev. Ugolor, Mba maintained that Police authorities would contest it in the court of law, just as he noted that all accusing fingers were pointing in the direction of Rev David Ugolor as mastermind.

“During the parade on July 27, Garba Usman Maisamari (a suspect) positively identified Rev David Ugolor, but he denied it. The Police lawyers as I am talking to you are in court to contest that order before embarking on prosecution”, Mba said.

He continued, “The investigation has been painstaking, challenging but we have been encouraged. Over 36 stolen phones were recovered. Investigators visited several states; Kano, Kebbi, Adamawa, Delta, Lagos and several parts of Edo states.

The gang used two motorcycles for the operation, one provided by Umaru Adamu alias Duma and the other by Danjuma Musa. A total of three guns were used. Usman Adamu provided two, while Muritala Usman provided one.

It will be recalled that, a week after the Nigeria Police Force had paraded some suspects, the State Security Service, SSS, on August 1 paraded another six suspects, who allegedly killed Olaitan Oyerinde.

Oyerinde was murdered in his residence at No. 65, 2nd Ugbor Road, GRA, Benin by four gunmen on May 4, 2012 by unknown gunmen.