A member of the House of Representatives from Taraba State, Honourable Danladi Baido, has on Friday arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS).
Honourable Baido is representing Ardo-Kola, Lau and Karim-Lamido federal constituency at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
He was re-elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the presidential/national assembly polls which held on February 26.
His arrest came shortly after the state governor, Mr. Darius Dickson Ishaku, in a statement, raised alarm of a plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress [APC] to arrest members of the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in the state using security apparatchiks.
In the statement, Mr. Ishaku expressed concern over “security issues concerning tomorrow’s Governorship and state house of Assembly elections in Taraba state”.
Said that he was “reliably informed of plans to illegally arrest some prominent members… PDP” in the state.
This, according to him, is to facilitate the rigging of the elections of tomorrow.
He revealed that series of meetings have been held with the opposition leaders in the state, where these plans were perfected.
He named some of the targeted local governments as Northern senatorial zone, Jalingo LGA, Karim lamido LGA, Lau LGA, and in central senatorial zone, sardauna LGA, Bali LGA and kurmi LGA, southern senatorial zone, wukari LGA, Ibi LGA and Donga LGA.
In his words, “the intention of this plot is to provoke violence to a magnitude that will undermine the credibility and outcome of the elections. Such a situation should not be allowed.”
The governor, therefore, appealed to the security agencies not to abandon their constitutional role in order to please vested political interest.
However, all pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears as Honourable Baido was whisked away by security operatives.
So far, no reason has been given for the arrest but based on available information, it might be connected to the governorship/State Assembly polls holding today.
Baido was in his village mobilising party’s agents and supporters ahead of the election when the DSS, accompanied by policemen of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB), struck in about six Hilux vans.
An obvious fracas ensued when Baido’s youthful supporters blocked the DSS officials with bows and arrows.
Baido, however, intervened and pleaded with the youth to sheath their swords, saying they are merely arresting him and not for the slaughter.
