DSS Denies Family Access to Abaribe, Says Lawyer

The detained member of the National Assembly, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has remained incommunicado since he was picked up by security operatives in Abuja on Friday. Abaribe’s lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), who made this known Sunday while speaking with our reporter, said all efforts by the family, his physician and himself to see Abaribe had been thwarted by security operatives. “We have made all attempts through official channels for his doctor, family members and myself to see him and up till this moment after visiting the DSS headquarters in Abuja to look for him we still don’t have any information about him since the security people left with him at about 11.30pm after searching his house on Friday,” he further said. Ume said he would continue to press necessary buttons towards seeing his client, adding that if all attempts to see him fail, he will be left with no other option but to meet with his family members on the next line of action. According to him, “If by Monday we don’t have any information about him or access to him and after meeting with my client’s family, we’ll then determine the next step to take.” Abaribe, who represents Abia South in the Senate and Chairman of the South East Senate Caucus, was on Friday morning picked up by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of aiding and abetting the outlawed Independent People of Biafra (IPOB).]]>