SSS parades suspect in phantom plot to assassinate Senator Etok

The Department of State Security Services in Abuja on Monday paraded a 29-year-old man, Adelola Tamunotoye Olaore, over a phantom plot to assassinate the Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Aloysius Etok.
The suspect confessed that he hatched the phantom plot to extort money from Senator Etok by exploiting the perceived rift between him and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio.
Olaore said he had wanted to use the proceeds to pursue a Masters’ degree programme.
According to the Deputy Director of Public Relations of the service, Marilyn Ogar, the SSS swung into action following a letter titled: “Report of planned assassination by a man who calls himself General Africa (an ex-militant),” by Senator Etok.
Ogar said on getting the letter, the Service directed the senator to play along with the suspect, which eventually led to his apprehension on April 29, 2013.
The suspect, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from the Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, said he went to the office of the Niger Delta Development Commission in Port-Harcourt to submit a mail where he stumbled on a mail bearing Senator Etok’s complimentary card.
He said it was from there he obtained the senator’s number.
He said being aware of the political interests between Etok and Akpabio over the Ikot Ekpene senatorial seat in 2015, he seized the opportunity to contact him.
He said he had introduced himself as General Africa, an ex-militant from Bayelsa State and then told the senator that he had been contacted by three of Akpabio’s loyalists to assassinate him.
According to Olaore, in order to convince Etok, he offered to furnish him with details of the governor’s purported bank account and Energy Company in South Africa.
He however confessed that he had never met Akpabio or any of his loyalists.
He said he hatched the plot to defraud Etok, using information he obtained from the open media about a rift between him and Akpabio.
He pleaded for leniency.
Ogar said Olaore would be charged to court.
She urged Nigerians to be wary of individuals who exploit activities, be it political, religious or economic, for criminal ends.