Journalist raises alarm on his ‘SSS’ invitation

The publisher of an online news portal, 247ureports.com, Ikenna Ezenekwe, has said that he may be on the radar of Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service, SSS.

In a statement he issued on Wednesday, Mr. Ezenekwe said he received a call from an unknown person at about 3 p.m. on Monday.

He said the caller introduced himself as “Ugochukwu from SSS” and said the Director of SSS, also called DSS, at Owerri, Imo State, wants to see him.

“I quickly responded, is it SSS or DSS? And who exactly are you looking to speak with.

“Sounding a little agitated, he said, the SSS wanted the owner of the phone number (08136697979) to come see their Director.

“I then asked him to make a formal invitation. Of which he responded that I should not make this difficult,” he said.

Mr. Ezenekwe told PREMIUM TIMES he has no idea why the SSS in Imo would want to see him; saying “I do not reside in Imo State”.

Asked why he thinks the SSS wanted to see him, Mr. Ezenekwe said “of recent, 247ureports.com had published reports critical of the Imo State government particularly against the excesses of the office of the 1st Lady of Imo State.

“We had also published critical reports against the APC government in Owerri over its mistreatment of Biafra activists.”

Efforts to reach the number the publisher said was used in inviting him were unsuccessful. The line appeared to have been switched off.

The journalist also said his lawyers failed to reach the SSS in Owerri through the number used in calling him.

“They had tried to reach the DSS to inquire on the reasons for the invite.

“At the moment, I await the DSS’s next attention. As I have not been able to confirm that the call was indeed coming from the DSS,” he said.

The SSS currently has no spokesperson from whom clarification can be sought.