By Abdallah el-Kurebe
Sokoto state Command of Department of State Security (DSS) has allegedly detained three chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Those arrested include Alhaji Mu’azu Zabira who is the chairman of APC’s Security Committee and Alhaji Bashir Mara Gwuiwa, both arrested on Wednesday.
In a related development, the DSS was also said to have raided the house of another APC chieftain, Alhaji Umarun Kwabo on Wednesday during which one Alhaji Abubakar Kaini was arrested.
The APC acting chairman in the state, Alhaji Isman Sulaiman told news men that the arrest was one of PDP’s strategies to use force in order to seize power in the state.
While saying that efforts were being made to secure their release before the election, Suleiman also said that offenses of the detained politicians were not known.
The PDP state Secretary, Alhaji Kabiru Aliyu who responded to journalists’ inquiries said that the arrests should long have been carried following the APC chieftains’ alleged involvement in criminal activities in the state.
He however denied the allegation that the PDP had hand in the arrests. “If the arrests were the handiwork of PDP, only the APC leaders like Wamakko and Waziri would have been arrested and not minor and notorious criminals.
“Maragwiwa has a pending murder case in court. Zabira has been sponsoring criminal activities in the state. It is timely that security agencies are making necessary efforts to ensure the arrest of criminals in our state,” Kabiru alleged.
Responding to telephone inquiries, the DSS Director, Abubakar Bubuche said that he was not aware of the arrests.
Also, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) El-Mustapha Sani said that the Police had no hand in the arrests.
Meanwhile, Justice Rilwanu Aikawa of the Sokoto Federal High Court has restrained the EFCC, ICPC, the Police and the NIA from arresting Sokoto state government officials in relation to investigation in alleged cases of appropriation, disbursement and administration of monies appropriated between 2008 and 2014.
