The Department of State Security (DSS) says the security agent who shot dead a newspaper vendor in Abuja, is one of their operatives, and not a police officer as being speculated.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the police denied the officer, who was attached to the convoy of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Igbere TV had on Thursday reported the fatal shooting of a newspaper vendor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke, a situation which gave rise to protest by his colleagues Friday, in Abuja.
The incident occurred at the Three Arms Zone when the convoy of the speaker made a stop-over (on his way from work) to exchange pleasantries with the vendors in his usual style.
In his response, while condoling with family of the deceased, Gbajabiamila said the aide had been suspended and handed over to DSS for investigation, pledging support for the family.
In a statement forwarded to Igbere TV Friday night, spokesman for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, said the culprit is one of its personnel deployed to the Speaker as a security detail.
The spokesman said as already stated by Gbajabiamila, the officer, Abdullahi M. Hassan, has been suspended.
Afunanya confirmed that as part of disciplinary procedures, he has been taken into detention.
He added that DSS has opened a detailed investigation into the matter and assured of a transparent and accountable probe.
“The Service condoles with the family of the deceased and his loved ones. It has promised a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident and will surely keep to this”, the statement added.
