The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a 26-year-old suspect in connection with the recent attack on Peter Obi in Benin, the Edo State capital.
The incident occurred last Tuesday at the residence of John Odigie-Oyegun, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where Obi and other party leaders were said to have gathered.
Following the incident, Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, alleged that Obi and several chieftains of the ADC were attacked during the meeting.
Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2024 Edo governorship election, also claimed that his cousin sustained injuries during the attack, stating that the victim’s head was smashed with a bottle.
Shortly after the incident, a man identified as Udeme Stephen, using the X (formerly Twitter) handle @stevetom788, allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack and issued further threats against Obi.
In the now-deleted post, the suspect reportedly warned that Obi was “lucky” to have survived the Benin attack and threatened violence during a planned visit to Rivers State.
A security source disclosed that DSS operatives immediately launched a covert investigation, deploying forensic tools to trace the origin of the threats.
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According to the source, the suspect was tracked to Rivers State, where he was said to be working as a teacher at Jessica High School in the Eliozu area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
“I strongly believe that the outcome of the agency’s forensic investigations implicated the suspect,” the source said.
“You know that, as a responsible security organisation saddled with counter-espionage and VIP protection duties, the DSS is always alive to its responsibility of investigating credible intelligence, irrespective of tribe or religion. They swiftly deployed operatives, and the man who threatened Peter Obi was nabbed and is in custody.”
The source added that the suspect would soon be charged to court.
The arrest comes amid heightened political activities and growing concerns over the safety of political figures during public engagements. Observers say the swift response by security agencies may serve as a deterrent against threats and politically motivated violence.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement detailing the charges, but investigations are said to be ongoing.