SSS arrests Taraba ex-Speaker for alleged impersonation

THE former Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Simon Dugeri, has been arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) for allegedly using the name of the Acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi, to woe voters for All Progressives Congress (APC).

A source told The Guardian that Dugeri was yesterday arrested in his home-town, Baissa in Kurmi Local Council of the state.

Also, one of the family members said the former Speaker who was also a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested in his house by the men of the SSS on a directive by the Acting Governor.

The Guardian learnt that the offence, which the former Speaker is being held, was for allegedly canvassing votes for the APC in the forthcoming governorship poll using the name of the Acting Governor.

When contacted, Chief Press Secretary to the Acting Governor, Hassan Mijinyawa, denied knowledge of any such directive from his boss to the SSS.

He said that the Acting Governor is a benefactor of the rule of law and cannot trample on the law by directing the SSS to carry out such act.

“Even though the Acting Governor is a respecter of the rule of law, he cannot use his position to halt the security operatives from carrying out their assigned constitutional responsibilities”, he said.

Besides, the leadership of the ruling PDP through its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Napoleon Adamu, also denied knowledge of the arrest, stating: “You are the first person that I am hearing this from.”

He further said that the party was at the verge of conveying meeting “when someone drew our attention that today is a public holiday and it would be difficult to have a large house.”

Meanwhile, some APC members who spoke on the arrest, felt sad at the action of the state authority, saying that when has it become a crime for an individual to campaign for the party of his or her choice.”