The Director Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSAA), Tony Otuonye, has been arrested by the Department of State Services earlier today.
Tony who was quizzed by the Department of State Services, DSS, over threats to kill any electorate who votes against the governorship candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Okey Ahiwe, has been granted administrative bail by the secret police.
State Director of DSS, Mr Friday Onuche, who confirmed this to Vanguard in Umuahia, however, said that the ABSAA boss would be reporting daily at the DSS office.
Otuonye, in the viral video, threatened violence against anybody that would vote against the PDP candidate in the forthcoming governorship poll.
This is as the PDP has disowned Otuonye, saying he does not have the mandate of the party to instigate violence or threaten any citizen.
PDP Acting Publicity Secretary, Abraham Amah, in a statement, denied any plot by the party to instigate violence at the polls, saying that the party is peace-loving.
The DSS Director told our Correspondent that the ABSAA boss was picked up on Monday, and grilled over his action.
” Yes we arrested him, interrogated him and granted him Administrative bail. He was inciting violence.”
Asked if he was not going to be prosecuted, the DSS boss said that the suspect was not yet off the hook.
” Administrative bail does not mean he is free. He will be reporting here every morning all through the election period”.
The DSS boss warned politicians and their supporters against engaging in any activity capable of setting the state on fire.
He warned that security agencies would not take it lightly with anyone engaging in any activity capable of plunging the state into needless crisis.
” People should conduct themselves in a civil manner and allow the electorates to vote according to their conscience without any molestations.
” The Service and sister security agencies have a role to ensure that Abia is made conducive for peaceful elections. Our business is election security management.
” Inciting violence is a recipe for the crisis, and we won’t allow such. Those planning similar things should know that there is no space for them in Abia because the service and other security agencies will deal with them.”
The DSS Director assured that Abia would be made safe for all before, during and after the elections.
PDP had also accused the opposition of plotting to import thugs during the forthcoming polls.
