Efio-Ita Nyok|12 September 2017
Reliable information made available to NegroidHaven has it that the lead suspect, namely, Miss Patience Odey, purported to be the girlfriend of Mr Raphael Odu, the implicated Director General of Cross River State Homeland Security Service in the botched 4th September assassination attempt on the life of Joseph Odok Esq., Ph.D, acclaimed social change agent, is yet to be handed over to the Nigerian Police by the DSS.
This information was made available to some journalists in the state capital, Calabar including our correspondent who paid the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz M. I., a visit at his office.
CP Hafiz, who confirmed that the lady hasn’t been handed over to the police as at when we were there said that his command has applied to the DSS office in Calabar who are still keeping the girl to hand over the lady to the police for investigation.
CP Hafiz observed that the case hasn’t been actually handed over to the police from the DSS if the lead suspect in the case is yet to be turned in.
Raphael Odu incarceration…
CP Hafiz confirmed the arrest and detention of Mr Raphael Odu, the Director General of Cross River State Homeland Security Service.
He said that Mr Odu is in police custody, but, further informed that a handful of lawyers have been agitating for his release especially considering that he had been there since Wednesday. CP Hafiz said that according to the law he is not supposed to be kept in Police custody for that long, that he doesn’t want to be seen to be on the erring side of the law.
Assurance of protection for journalists, bloggers, critics…
CP Hafiz assured the journalists present of the protection of their lives and properties by the police. He told them to go about their normal and legitimate businesses informing them that there are measures already in place to crack down on perpetrators of crime, etc.
DSS Preliminary Investigation
It will be recalled that on the 4th of September the DSS apprehended the lead suspect, Miss Odey, at the Zanzee Bar scene of the incident, while they took Dr Odok to the General Hospital, Calabar.
The arrest and detention of Miss Odey according to sources was for the DSS to conduct preliminary investigation before handing over the case to the Police. While the DSS is done with her preliminary investigation and has handed over the case to the Police without the lead suspect, it’s troubling.
Fears and rumours
There are fears that this attempted assassination case would not enjoy the much needed justice it deserves. Some section of society both in the diaspora and within the country have expressed this fears.
It’s even rumoured from grapevine that miss Odey may have been released by the DSS and is likely in South Africa already. NegroidHaven is yet to ascertain this information
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven