Gordon Obua, the chief security officer (CSO) to President Goodluck Jonathan for five years, has been arrested and detained by the State Security Service (SSS), TheCable can report.
He was arrested on Thursday in connection with ongoing investigations by the secret police on the alleged movement of large sums of “security money” in the last administration as well as oil theft in the Niger Delta.
TheCable understands that he went on hunger strike since Thursday to protest the conditions of his detention, including a lack of access to lawyers and his family members.
He was arrested after honouring an invitation from the agency.
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A source said that he is being kept in an underground cell but TheCable could not verify the claim.
Obua, appointed CSO by Jonathan in 2010, left his position at the end of the former president’s tenure on May 29, although he remains in active service at the security agency.
Sambo Dasuki, who served as national security adviser (NSA) to Jonathan, is also being investigated over security spending running into billions of dollars.
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Dasuki’s Abuja residence was searched by SSS operatives from Thursday to Friday as part of the investigation.
Obua, sources told TheCable, is being detained at the Abuja headquarters of the SSS, also known as the Department of State Services (DSS).
The specifics of the investigations were not disclosed to TheCable but an insider said Obua “is not co-operating” and could spend a longer period in detention.
Obua is best remembered for expelling a German radio correspondent from Aso Rock in the dying days of Jonathan’s administration.
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The reporter had sought to verify from the visiting Chadian president, Idriss Derby, the truth of claims that South African mercenaries were helping in the fight against Boko Haram.
President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to recover monies believed to have been stolen in the last administration as part of his anti-corruption campaign.
The investigation is being led by the SSS, whose leadership was changed early July with exit of Ita Ekpenyong and the appointment of Lawan Daura as the DG in acting capacity.
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26 comments
Pmb must be kidding! After a successful transition,is dis how he can pay back?
Does that mean that those who broke the law should not be held accountable? Some of you Nigerians are pathetic human beings.
How is he paying back. Are you now saying our looted money should not be recovered?
Its not abt probing anybody. Corruption escalated from 1977/79, and PMB was Petroleum Min then; investigation should start from then. They are all alive,OBJ,PMB,IBB,ABUBAKA,etc.all those are Nigeria’s moneys…
We give ethnic colouration to any decisions or steps taken. Can we develop like this as a nation? Let’s drop our personal interest and work for the development of Nigeria. I see a time not far from now when who govern us is no longer necessary but our common goal is who has the capacity to provide quality services to the people. This is the nigeria of my and the reality of my tomorrow.
Well said.
Only those with no positive counsel or goodwill for Nigeria run a mock under the cloak of ethnicity and morbid regionAl bigotry! True leadership is not ethnic-oriented! Whether you are black, white, blue, green, red or yellow; all we need is good governance! And, only fools and feeble-minded people hide behind the dark curtains of ethnicity.
Xtober, You are right no point raising ethnic colouration to every move but then again every region deserves a sense of belonging in the project called Nigeria. There is merit in every region and they must all be accommodated!
PMB, please have those pretender governors and bottom power women that looted the treasury of their states arrested and brought to book. We cannot progress without getting back the loot. They should be tied to the stake and shot dead.
Igbos are their own worse enemies. A race that can never unite. They deserve what they getting. Good radiance to bad rubbish.
Your 2yr old reasoning continues to be a source of embarrassment for you and your kin. This isn’t about any tribe or ethnicity stop trying to heat up sentiments or acting as the fool you are
According to GEJ, a thief is a theif! Ole is Ole! If the NSA and CSO are found culbale in how money are looted out of the Country, then it doesn’t matter who stole it. What matters is the fact that the funds are being recovered and suspected individuals are brought to book. Whether you are hausa,Igbo,Yoruba or Ijaw. The stealing under GEJ administration was bad for the future of Nigeria and we cannot continue to let thieves go free.
Abegi, make una 4getam, all dis na initial gara-gara. Is there any out gone government dat dos’nt go with our money’s in bags, cattons, tanks, forign accts. an any were u can tink of? The recoverd looted money’s, what is the provision 4 it? Stll going to those who recover it. Y is he not arresting Sanusi? So, if PMB want’s to keep sentiments aside, he shuld 4get chasing any 1. Let him start with whats on ground an lets see if he is a good leader. Otherwise he wll also be arrested @ the expiration of his tenure too. Bcoz, he will do same. Tnx
Please tell us the govt in Nigeria, where corruption did not happen? We must all realize that what goes around comes around. After fighting corruption please what next? We are watching keenly.
It must be noted that the role played by most Aides to public servants starting from ADCs to the office clerk when it comes to corruption cannot be over emphasozed. A proper probe and audit of their assets will proof that they are all living beyond their means.
You all should stop it, what exactly are you saying? If you want to fight corruption all well and good. Then you can’t be selective. Has Obasanjo been arrested????? What of Amaechi???? You dine with corrupt persons and claim to fight corruption. Abegi!!! Make we hear word. Yeye dey smell… And nobody should claim you have to start from somewhere, cause if he really has to, then he would have started with Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
Buhari carry on all this past politicain should be probe and collect all the money they stole from nigeria government.
It is important to know that at this point, those who were fully involve on the backwardness of Nigeria Economy by mistik means or corrupt practicing will surely face the law, if we really wants to correct things in this country, the past evils such as embezlement , impartiality and favoritism has to be corrected .
So Mr President continue with ur good job . Make sure all Nigerian have the impart of ur change
The arrest of Jonathan ex CSO is in order if only done in line with legal procedures and non violation of human rights. There is nothing wrong in arresting and quizzing the ex CSO over alleged missing funds. The security operatives has to prove beyond reasonable doubt that funds were really missing or were not well utilised.
Let him continue with the hunger strike..he needs it after all this years of chop chop
You claim to be fighting corruption yet you chose to dip into the general bag of Nigeria in hundred of millions to bale out the States that declared bancrupcy after the elections without asking what happened to their Federal allocations.
Were those funds not diverted?
Boko Harram that was almost scrapped off in Nigeria shortly before the elections with Sambisa forest and all their strongholds completely destroyed and taking over, are now in total control of the country, killing people as they wish over the North. They are now even going international unchecked.
Same Boko Harram that was referred to as religious fraud.
Exchange rate has turned to something else with Dollar hitting the climax of #236 per 1$ in the black market and is still going up unchecked. Of course directly proportional to inflation rate.
Fuel scarcity continues after a successful handing over in May 29.
Ministerial appointments are still being delayed because of in-house fighting over the National treasure.
Unemployment continues goemetrically instead of continues allowance to the N.Y.S.C members to 1 year of their passing out as promised during the election campaign and so many others.
Please let it be noted that election promises that are later negleted are fraud.
What Nigeria need are leaders with vision and not same old fellows.
Go to Oshogbo, Osun State, mount a public podium, and shout out your issues over ‘diversion’ of public funds to bail out states that are owing salaries. This is your right. I’d like to see how long you’d last on that podium. You may come back here to ‘narrate’ your experience.
I dont think you actually understood the issues Honesty rightly pointed out. if you do, U will not post this comment. Intellectual discourse is what goes on here.
Keep it up! Had it been previous looters were probed and prosecuted,naija wld have been better for it, d x-cso wld have behaved well while in office sane to all d looting leader Gej, obj,ibb and so oooon
Honestly , Every right thinking Nigerian should be thanking God for this present change in government because the former was actually leading the country to a total collapse . All we need is just a little patience and with all hands on deck Nigeria will definitely bounce back even greater.
Let’s face it, it is quite unfortunate that in most Social Media no one knows who is posting what if not you would not have posted for me that “intellectual discourse” and not even discussion is what goes on.
In the first instance, if you apply to see me on a normal day, your application cannot be granted. Neither would you have the necessary qualifications to work in my office.
What do you know about Nigeria politics?
Do you really know what is going on in this country?
I seldomly comment on social media because people react to what they read on Newspapers and Social media without knowing the objectives behind those actions and write-ups.
If you want to comment on issues, you simply do that without trying to insult those that are not even in the same level with you. Those that you may not even have the opportunity to sit beside through out your lifetime.
If you don’t have the opportunity of knowiing exactly what is going on in this country, simply shortup and be watchiing.
Is well to probe, but probe all past leaders from federal, state, LGAS etc.please EX- CSO don’t neglect your health. your life belongs to God. you are only a caretaker. please keep well.