State Security Service (SSS) operatives Intercept Ship with Weapons in Port Harcourt

State Security Service (SSS) operatives intercepted high-calibre ammunition in a 20-foot container at the Port of the capital city of Rivers State, Port Harcourt, on January 30, 2014, Thursday.

The interception of the ammunition raises fears of impending violence in the state ahead of the 2015 elections.

The vessel carrying this cargo, MV Iron Trader, came from Panama in Central America.

The captain, the agent and six crew members were arrested. Their interrogation took place at the SSS office in PH Thursday night. Nigerian authorities need to determine the consignee and the destination of the seized items

The container was put under 24/7 control by a combined team of SSS operatives, soldiers and policemen.

The intercepted ammunition was reportedly packed in many iron boxes in the container.

The Senior officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority in Port Harcourt did not provide any comments on the incident.

It would be noted the SSS’s interception of the ammunition is coming at a time militants have been let loose in the state, shooting, killing and maiming, while the police, led by Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, showed poor performance in many cases.

The Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, also declared at a rally in Degema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Degema Local Government Area, on January, 19, 2014 that Gov. Amaechi would not know peace, until he resigns.

Gov. Amaechi, who is the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), however, declared that he would remain focused and complete his tenure in 2015 “by God’s grace”.

Source : Naij