ALLEGED KILLING: DSS ARRAIGNS FOUR SUSPECTS LINKED TO KILLING OF OPERATIVE

ALLEGED KILLING: DSS ARRAIGNS FOUR SUSPECTS LINKED TO KILLING OF OPERATIVE

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE SERVICES HAS ARRAIGNED FOUR SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF IPOB AN OUTLAWED GROUP BEFORE THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT ABUJA, OVER THEIR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE KIDNAPPING AND KILLING OF ITS OFFICER, EKPEYONG ASUQUO OWOH.

THE SUSPECTS WERE ARRAIGNED ON A SIX-COUNT CHARGE BORDERING ON ALLEGED TERRORISM AND KIDNAPPING OF A DSS PERSONNEL.

THE DEFENDANTS IN THE MATTER ARE, MICHAEL OKAFOR, CHINEDU JOSEPH CHUKWUDOZIE, CHIBUNNA OLISA AND CHIGOZIE OLISA

THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED THAT THE DEFENDANTS CONSPIRED TO COMMIT ACTS OF TERRORISM AND WERE INVOLVED IN THE ABDUCTION OF OWOH, A DSS OPERATIVE, WHILE HE WAS TRAVELLING FROM PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, TO AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE.

THE DEFENDANTS FURTHER ACCUSED OF TAKING THE OPERATIVE HOSTAGE AND CAUSING HIS DEATH IN THE COURSE OF THE ALLEGED CRIMINAL OPERATION.

THEY WERE EQUALLY ACCUSED OF BELONGING TO THE PROSCRIBED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA (IPOB) AND ITS ARMED WING, THE EASTERN SECURITY NETWORK (ESN), AS WELL AS INVOLVEMENT IN ACTIVITIES ALLEGEDLY LINKED TO TERRORISM.

THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED THAT THE SUSPECTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS, INCLUDING AK-47 AND PUMP-ACTION RIFLES, IN CONNECTION WITH THE ALLEGED OFFENCES.

SHORTLY AFTER THEIR PLEA OF NOT GUILTY, THE TRIAL JUDGE JUSTICE JOYCE ABDULMALIK ADJOURNED THE CASE TO OCTOBER 6, 2026 FOR COMMENCEMENT OF TRIAL AND ORDERED THAT THE DEFENDANTS BE REMANDED IN CUSTODY.

SECURITY SOURCES REVEALED THAT OWOH DISAPPEARED ON 23RD FEBRUARY, 2022 ALONG ORLU ROAD IN IHIALA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE WHILE EN ROUTE AWKA TOWN IN A SILVER-COLORED PONTIAC VIBE.