Mysterious theft baffles journalists in Lafiya

First, the police said the robbers, of unspecified number, scaled the fence in full glare of two armed policemen. This is compounded by a mysterious text message that sent both the police and the State Security Service (SSS), on a wild goose chase. The chase led to the quizzing of the first suspect, a journalist […]

First, the police said the robbers, of unspecified number, scaled the fence in full glare of two armed policemen. This is compounded by a mysterious text message that sent both the police and the State Security Service (SSS), on a wild goose chase. The chase led to the quizzing of the first suspect, a journalist (names withheld) who holds a national office with the NUJ in Lafia. He made statements to the SSS when he appeared for interrogation, before he was released into the arms of two other national officers, namely Joyce Akuraga (National Vice President Zone D), and Rhoda Lar who is the National Secretary, Zone D.

The robbery was one of many at the secretariat. It happened barely a week after the Nasarawa State police command stormed the state secretariat and sealed it up, denying journalists access to their property.

The police said that the robbers attacked them there and carted away a newly installed Mikano generator. The alleged robbery took place barely metres from the command headquarter of the police along Makurdi Road.

The police sent armed guards there in compliance with a request contained in an official letter sent to the police commissioner, EphraimAmakulor by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Timothy Anjide who sought for “armed security” to guard the secretariat. The state government had just completed the renovation of the secretariat and mounted the newly procured generator, waiting commissioning by Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma.

The police took over the property without notifying the management of the state NUJ, a development which sparked protests among journalists and a series of meetings to seek explanation on why the policemen denied journalists access to their property.

It was while these meetings were being held that journalists in the state woke up to news that the newly mounted Mikano generator disappeared from the secretariat in what the police claim was a robbery operation.

The police are saying the robbers stormed in the early hours of Friday 13, and over-powered the two armed policemen on duty that night, tied them up and took their time to dismount the generator from its platform, carting same away in a truck. No shot was fired either from the police or the robbers, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Richard Akoji, had said.

When Sunday Trust called the police commissioner, he too seemed confused about the development. “I can’t understand it at all,” he said as he sought time to speak to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area before giving “full details.”

When newsmen visited the secretariat, after the robbery report went round, both food sellers and staffers of the secretariat who were allowed to man the offices were seen in clusters, discussing the incident, with some of them alleging that the alleged robbery was an insiders’ job

Two days later, the police promised to begin a man-hunt over the alleged robbery. PPRO Akoji had said that the command authorities were worried about the alleged robbery, and have therefore, initiated a man-hunt, hoping it will lead to the arrest, investigation and prosecution of the alleged robbers. He expressed optimism that the investigation will yield positive feedback, just as he appealed to members of the public to come up with any useful information at there disposal that can lead to the arrest of the culprits.

But almost a week later, nothing was heard of the efforts of the police, when a mysterious text message was sent to some union officials and top government officials including the commissioner of Information, Barrister Mamman Alakayi, alleging that the robbery was carried out at the directive of the journalist being investigated by the SSS.

The text message which mentioned this journalist as the prime suspect, said he had sent the sender of the message among other criminals to rob the newly installed generator and take it to Kadarko, a slum settlement along Lafia-Makurdi Road.

Moses Ogube Ogidis, the Secretary of the Credentials Committee of the state NUJ, confirmed receipt of the text message, saying he had to take it to the information commissioner only to discover the government official was also sent the same message. He told Sunday Trust that “I met the commissioner and he said government was meeting over the text message and was going to report the development to the police and the SSS for investigation.”

He could not confirm any investigation done so far by the security agencies, but the suspected journalist told colleagues that he was quizzed by the SSS who extracted a statement from him, accordingly.