Buhari's DSS lies! Frames up journalist, Jones Abiri as a militant and coup plotter

Buhari's DSS lies! Frames up journalist, Jones Abiri  as a militant and coup plotter



Nigeria’s security officials have accused the publisher of Nigeria’s Weekly Source newspaper, Jones Abiri, of terrorism and spreading coup rumour.Mr Abiri, also known as General Akotebe Darikoro was arrested on July 21.

He is accused with others of coming up with the recently circulated rumour of a planned overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari by the military.

According to DSS press release, the publisher is also the alleged leader of a militant group in oil rich Bayelsa state, the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF).

“He has confessed and owned up to some criminal activities committed by the JNDLF”, the secret police said on Saturday in Abuja.

This publication could not independently verify the claims.

Officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) from Abuja last week stormed the office of the newspaper, handcuffed and whisked away the journalist.

The secret police explained that the arrest bordered on national security as they ransacked the office.


Mr Abiri and his group have been accused of having links with the Niger Delta Avengers, a violent militant group which had almost crippled oil production in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Officials of the Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), lodged a complaint against Mr Abiri at the Ekeki Police Station.

The JNDLF has “been furthering separatist tendencies in connivance with other criminal gangs in the Niger Delta region.”

In a statement, the police accused JNDLF of vandalism, especially the bombing of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw LGA.

The militant group on July 8 2016 bombed oil pipeline belonging to Shell Development Company (SPDC) at Brass creek, in Bayelsa State.

The police said the group had threatened managements of NAOC and SPDC demanding payment.

It also threatened to launch missile attacks against select targets in Abuja including the Presidential Villa, the police headquarters, defence headquarters, NNPC Towers, CBN headquarters, and the National Assembly.

The threat by the militants caused panic across the country.

- Dave Brook