By Iteveh Ekpokpobe
Investigative Journalist, Mr. Fejiro Oliver, has been allegedly detained by operatives of the State Security Service also known as Department of State Services (DSS) in Asaba, Delta State.
Feelers revealed that his detention is not unconnected to a report by Mr. Oliver on an alleged robbery incident at the Delta State Government House on Thursday 28, May, 2020.
According to a source, Mr. Oliver was summoned by the DSS yesterday (Monday) to appear in their office at 10am this morning.
It was gathered that Mr. Oliver honoured the invitation at exactly 10:07am this morning.
Another source within the DSS Complex confirmed that Fejiro Oliver had completed his statement and a meeting with the State Director of the DSS.
All efforts to reach him at press time have yielded no result as his phone numbers were switched off.
Recall that Secret Reporters, co-published by Mr. Fejiro Oliver, had reported a story that, “28th May 2020 will forever ‘red letter day’ in the heart of Delta State Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Okowa, as a moment he fell short of security glory, for right under his reign, the numerous security details spread all over the State Government House were broken down without resistance and trace by men of the underground world.”
According to the report, “While Okowa slept that night and security men patrol the Dennis Osadebey house where destinies of men are decided, armed robbers which other sources claimed to be hired assassins were having a field day with the Governor’s family under lock in the guest house section.”
“According to an informant within the government house, the heavily armed men did not break through the wall of government house to gain entrance to place but were able to access the guest house section by breaking through the window where they had a field day.”
“With this robbery right inside government house, some security experts who confided in us blamed it on the new Chief Security Officer(CSO), Mr Efeizomor, who is clannish by removing competence for tribalism, posting out security officials and bringing in mainly Delta North officers to work with him.” The report read.
However, the state government has denied the report, saying the report has no iota of truth.
The Executive Assistant to Governor Okowa on Communications, Mr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, in a statement debunked the publication, describing it as the figment of imagination of the writer and the online news medium.
Oghenesivbe, a lawyer, who claimed to have been instructed by the Principal Secretary to the Governor, noted that the online medium is well known for its blackmail in exchange for money editorial policy, describing it as a cancerous fake news platform inspired from the pit of hell.
Okowa’s EA Communications said, “It is common knowledge that Fejiro Oliver and SecretReporters adopted blackmail, propaganda and sensationalism as major operational pillars, a deliberate scamming techniques of extracting monies from targeted wealthy Nigerians and governments.
“Since the commencement of this administration, the notorious medium and its unreliable, greedy, shameless and radical publisher survived via multifaceted unscrupulous arrangements.
“Delta State Government Guest Houses are safe and well protected with modern security gadgets, and operatives are positioned in strategic locations to ensure that hoodlums and criminals do not come an inch close to any of the facilities.
“Let me emphasize again and again that no robbery attacks took place at any of the Government Guest Houses on 28th May, 2020, as criminally put out by the said online medium.
“The major reason the publisher announced his exit from Okowa administration as a friend of government barely 24 hours ago, is to enable him craft and publish fake news against the governor and government in exchange for money and other unmerited favour,” Oghenesivbe said.
At intervals, this reporter called the Public Relations Officer of the DSS, Mr. Peter Afunanya, but got no response.
A text message sent to his phone number 0803*****49 was also not responded to at press time.
