Nasarawa killing: SSS retires diector •ACF urges FG to prosecute Ombatse cult

THE State Security Service (SSS) has compulsorily retired its Nasarawa State director, Mr. Haliru Musa,  under whose watch ten officers of the Service were murdered in an encounter with members of Ombatse cult group in Alakio village on May 9.
Information made available to the Nigerian Tribune confirmed that the Director General of the SSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong had approved the retirement after the management had confirmed that Haliru was indicted through due process.
Contrary to earlier report in an Abuja-based medium, it was confirmed that Haliru was being sent on compulsory retirement rather than  being transferred from Nasarawa.
“The Service has placed the Nasarawa State Director on compulsory retirement. The retirement was approved by the authorities this evening (Thursday),” the source said, adding that the retired director had been undergoing due interrogations and processes to determine his culpability in the massacre.
It was gathered that the management of the SSS was angry that Haliru took out officers on such expedition without informing the National Headquarters and while also failing to gather enough intelligence.
A source said that the former Director was compulsorily retuired for failing to undertake enough surveillance and risking the lives of his officers and men.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretaray of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani has said that the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State must be prosecuted for killing a number of security operatives recently.
He said in an interview in Kaduna that as far as ACF was concerned, there cannot be grievances  that could justify the killings of those security agents.
“The dastardly act is therefore condemnable by all those who fear God and have core values of humanity. The incidence should therefore be investigated and retribution inflicted on offenders,” he said.
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