27th January, 2014
Mallam Nasir el Rufai, former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT on Monday morning reported at the Abuja headquarters of Nigeria secret police, the Department of State Services.
The DSS had on Friday failed in its attempt to arrest the former Minister after series of fruitless vigils at his two homes in Abuja.
Though the Service had not indicated why it wanted to arrest El-Rufai, there are indications that the secret agency interest in the former Minister is related to his recent assertions that there will be trouble if the 2015 general elections is not adjudged to be credible.
Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson for DSS had in the aftermath of the statement warned that the Service will not hesitate to bring politicians who are inciting Nigerians to violence ahead of the 2015 elections to book.
The warning by the DSS was followed with the futile attempt to arrest the former Minister the next day. el- Rufai had over the weekend insisted that he will voluntarily turned himself in to the Service if it can show a warrant of arrest obtained from a court.
“Let me promise you one thing, we will arrest him. He can not continue to incite members of the public, causing trouble, and expect to go scot free. No, Nigerian, no individual is greater that the country.
“We are not puppet, and nobody can reduce us to one. Mallam El-Rufai must be made to answer for his provocative and inflammatory statement. I say it again; no Nigerian is above the law. He will surely be arrested,” Ogar said after the failed bid to arrest the former Minister.
The DSS spokesperson however added that the Service had obtained a warrant of arrest against El-Rufai.
On his way to the DSS headquarters this morning, the former Minister and chieftain of opposition All Progressives Congress said officials of DSS had shown a warrant of arrest to his lawyer hence his decision to honour the invitation.
He was accompanied to the DSS headquarters by his lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, and some chieftain of APC, including Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Chris Ngige, and a few family members.
P.M. NEWS however gathered that Governor Amaechi, Ngige were stopped from entering the DSS headquarters with el Rufai by operatives of the Service.
The former Minister is still being grilled by DSS operatives as at the time of writing this story.
It is not clear if he will be detained or allowed to go home after answering the questions.