OFFICIALS of the Department of State Services on Monday paraded 29-year old man who allegedly confessed to faking a plot to assassinate a senator for financial gains.
Adelola Tamunotoye Olaore told the security officials that he sought to exploit the reported rift between Senator Aloysius Etok and Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio, the financial proceeds of which he claimed were for financing his intended pursuit of a Masters degree program.
Senator Ekot represents Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State.
According to Marilyn Oga, spokesperson of the Department of State Services, investigations commenced on the case upon the receipt of a letter from Senator Etok, in which he expressed concern over his personal safety after learning that he was the target of an assassination plot by an unknown person named General Africa.
The suspect was apprehended April 29 after Senator Ekot had played along as instructed by agents of the Service, Ms. Oga revealed on Monday.
The suspect, 29-year old Olaore is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
In his confession to investigators, he said that he had gone to Niger Delta Development Commission offices in Port-Harcourt to carry out a transaction when he stumbled on a mail bearing Senator Etok’s complimentary card.
It was from that he obtained Senator Ekot’s phone number.
Olaore said he had heard of the reported tensions between Senator Ekot and Governor Akpabio over the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial seat which is up for contest in 2015.
He therefore contacted the senator, introducing himself as General Africa, an ex-militant from Bayelsa State, saying he had been contacted by three of Governor Akpabio’s loyalists to assassinate him..
The suspect said that he offered to furnish Senator Ekot with details of a bank account and an energy company in South Africa belonging to Governor Akpabio, as a means of convincing Ekot that he indeed came to serve the interest of Akpabio’s loyalists who sought his assassination.
In her remarks while parading him, Ms. Ogar warned the public to be aware of persons like the suspect who exploit circumstances or situation to make money.