The State Security Service (SSS), also known as the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested two foreigners who are guests at Treasure Suites, a hotel opposite the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, for taking pictures of the court premises from their hotel balcony.
The foreigners, who were white and assumed to be Americans by police officers at the scene, were taken away in a white Toyota Hilux vehicle by SSS agents and police officers, PeoplesGazette reports.
“They even entered the hotel and got the manager to show them their CCTV footage to be able to locate one of the men and seized his phone,” a police officer said.
A woman who was believed to be the manager of the hotel was spotted outside with the DSS officers pleading with them not to drive the foreigners away from the hotel. Her pleas were ignored.
Another police officer said the Americans may not be tortured, saying they would only be questioned and asked to delete the footage.
“They will not do anything to them, they will only ask them to write statements and delete the footage they took,” the officer said.
Today has been the adjourned date to hear the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, who was controversially abducted by Nigerian agents and repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya on June 29.
As part of an aggressive measure put in place to deny lawyers, journalists and other court observers access to the premises for the proceedings, the court has been heavily guided by DSS agents.
The officers shut down the two major roads leading to the federal court facility.
The measures intensified after Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s lawyer, rallied supporters of the separatist leader to make themselves available at the trial without fear.
“It is important to state that, anybody who wishes to come is not doing anything illegal, provided such a person comes in peace. Kanu’s trial is an open trial, not a secret trial, and he’s presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Ejimakor said.