The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Damilare Bello, and five others following the recent killing of about 20 persons in a renewed cult war in Sagamu.
Bello, member representing Sagamu Constituency, was arrested alongside Debbo Animashaun, Bamidele Saheed, Ismaila Onitire, Adewale Otesanya and Tobi Owoade, Daily Trust reports.
It was further gathered that the lawmaker elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was arrested for his alleged involvement in the violence.
The PDP confirmed the arrest of Bello by the secret police in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Bankole, in Abeokuta.
The PDP, however, condemned the arrest of Bello, saying “As much as we do not object to DSS or any security agency’s investigation into the Sagamu carnage which has allegedly claimed more than 25 lives, we think that the investigation is not being conducted with optimum professionalism and sincerity.”
While saying nothing incriminating was found in Bello’s residence at the time of his arrest on Wednesday, Bankole alleged that “the whole thing is an orchestrated attempt to give Hon Bello a bad name just to hang him.”
He said “It is also interesting that the Sagamu residence of the honourable member was thoroughly vandalised earlier today by some suspected APC-enabled thugs. The same man who returned from London to Abeokuta where he raised contributions on the floor of the house yesterday (Wednesday) concerning security matters in his constituency.
“We have always held that the Sagamu killings are a direct fallout of the criminal empowerment of cultists against the people by the APC.
“The onus is, however, on the DSS to rise above partisanship in its duties. The security outfit is a creation of the law and should not be reduced to a mere tool of a political witch hunt by both the governor and APC against perceived opponents.”
He charged the State government “to look inward, search its inner circles in Sagamu LG so as to see where the smoke is coming from.”
