Operatives of the Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Intelligence Agency and the police were on Tuesday in a face-off over moves by the EFCC to arrest a former Director General of the DSS, Ekpenyong Ita, and a former DG of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke.
In the move to arrest both men, operatives of the agencies drew their guns, cocked and came close to firing themselves.
This was more so in the case of Ita, whose 46, Mamman Nur Street residence in Asokoro area of Abuja was almost turned into a shooting centre.
The drama lasted over 13 hours.
Ita is wanted by the EFCC for his alleged role in the $2.1 billion arms scam involving a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd).
The EFCC operatives who were to carry out the arrest were said to have arrived at Ita’s house as early as 4am.
But on approaching the house in the morning with the warrant of arrest, the DSS operatives providing security for Ita refused to allow the EFCC operatives in.
The EFCC operatives then cordoned off all roads leading to the property with a yellow tape, with the inscription: “Crime scene, do not cross.”
In fact, the DSS reportedly beefed up security in the house with over 30 more armed operatives.
An attempt by an operative of the EFCC to take photographs almost led to a shootout. with the DSS operatives cocking their guns.
The EFCC operatives, also accompanied by several policemen, equally cocked their own guns in preparation to shoot.
At Ambassador Oke’s residence at 10, Mamman Nasir Street, Asokoro, the same drama also played out.
Oke and his wife, Folasade, have been accused of complicity in the recovered N13 billion cash in different denominations in a Lagos flat.
Attempts by EFCC operatives to arrest him were also stopped by NIA operatives and policemen guarding his home.
