Nasarawa SSS Director Removed, Reportedly over Ombatse Killings

There have been indications last night that the Nasarawa State Director of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Halilu Musa, has been relieved of his duty post, the Leadership reports.

Details od the removal are still limited, but the Leadership found out that Musa's removal might not be unconnected with the brutal killings of 10 SSS operatives and about 90 policemen by the Ombatse cult on May 9, 2013, in Alakyo Village near the state capital, Lafia.

The leader of the cult group, Baba Alakyo, had claimed in an interview that he did carry out the killings, but that the operatives were killed by his "god".

The SSS had recently organised a candlelight procession in Abuja in honour of the 10 slain SSS operatives during which the director-general of the agency, Mr Ita Ekpeyong, said that the service had forgiven the cult group.

Based on its source's informtion, the Leadership further reports that the service was unable to come to terms with the fact that Musa could allow the security operatives to embark on such a dangerous mission to Alakyo Village without adequate surveillance and intelligence gathering. He was also said to have released the operatives for the mission without seeking all the necessary clearance from the agency's top hierarchy.

The source added that the massacre of the operatives could have been avoided had adequate operational measures been taken to forestall any such eventuality. It was further gathered that the SSS was of the opinion that there was the need for the service to put in place adequate back-up for the operatives before the commencement of the exercise so as to prevent any unforeseen situation where the operatives would be exposed to avoidable danger.


Leadership