Nigerian media mogul Raymond Dokpesi, the campaign chief of presidential candidate Ibrahim Babangida, has been released from detention by the State Security Service (SSS), the local media reported. Dokpesi, who was invited for questioning early on Monday over Friday’s bombing in the capital city of Abuja, was released late on Monday night.
SSS spokesperson Marilyn Ogar had told a press conference in the Nigerian capital Monday that nine suspects had been arrested for their alleged role in the blast, which left 10 dead and injured 36 others, including 11 policemen.
But Ogar did not say if Dokpesi, who owns African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM, was one of the nine suspects.
‘We are interrogating him (Dokpesi) on the relationship between him and some of the suspects in our custody. We also want him to clarify what he knew about the explosions,’ Ogar said.
On Monday night, the campaign organisation headed by Dokpesi issued a statement condemning Dokpesi’s arrest and calling for his immediate release.
‘The IBB 2011 CAMPAIGN ORGANISATION hereby condemns in the strongest terms the detention of its Director General and calls for his immediate release. We wish to draw the attention of local and international communities to the growing politics of intolerance, intimidation, coercion, persecution and harassment in spite of the avowed commitment to the rule of law by the present administration,’ the statement said.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the attack, but President Goodluck Jonathan said it was not carried out by MEND but by ‘a small terrorist group outside Nigeria.’
MEND leader Henry Okah has already been arrested and arraigned in South Africa over the bombing, even though MEND said he had nothing to do with the attack.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan has appointed a former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, as the National Security Adviser (NSA).
Azazi replaced retired Col. Kayode Are, who had been the acting NSA since retired Gen. Aliyu Gusau left to join the presidential contest.
The change, coming less than 72 hours after the President promised to overhaul the country’s security system, is believed to be connected with the Abuja bombing.