The State Security Service says it has finished investigating the alleged attempt by one Mr. Michael Dickson to load a consignment of explosives on an Abuja-bound flight at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos on November 18, 2006.
The Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, had told newsmen in Lagos that Dickson was arrested with five explosive materials, which were to be allegedly smuggled onto Bellview Airlines Flight 200.
The SSS spokesman, Mr. Ado Muazu, told our correspondent on Thursday in Abuja that investigations had been concluded on the matter and that the report had been forwarded to the appropriate quarters for action.
He, however, declined comment on the result of the investigations, noting that at the appropriate time, Nigerians would be made aware of the facts behind the case.
Muazu said, We have finished our investigations on the matter and the suspect has spoken to us extensively on the issue.
So, we have done our own part and the report has been sent to the appropriate authorities, which I dont have the power to reveal to you. At the appropriate time, the authorities concerned will speak on the matter.�
When contacted, Fani-Kayode said he was not aware of the outcome of the investigation. The minister, who spoke through his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Bayo Oladeji, said the ministry was waiting for the outcome of the investigation to be made public.
He said, We are not aware of how far they have gone in their investigation. It is left for them to tell us what the results were.
They are not expected to submit the report to us; they either turn it to the Inspector-General of Police or President (Olusegun Obasanjo) or the director of the State Security Service.�
Our correspondent, however, gathered that the report of the panel did not reveal that the items found on Dickson were explosives. Rather, it was gathered that they were discovered to be fireworks.
Besides, it was learnt that the investigation could not confirm the potency of the alleged explosive materials. As a result, this has made the arraignment of Dickson, who is believed to be in the SSS cell, impossible.