More details are emerging regarding the arrest and detention of a pipeline surveillance contractor in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Richard Abbey.

Abbey, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Ricardo Security Services Ltd, was arrested in Port Harcourt at about 2am on Saturday, July 16, 2022 when security operatives comprising the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army (NA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) allegedly broke into his home.

According to his lawyer, Ajayi Olusegun, his whereabout and wellbeing was unknown until weeks later when he was released on bail by the DSS.

In an exclusive interview with Kristina Reports, Abbey said his last operation against the activities of illegal oil bunkerers and artisanal refiners of illegally obtained crude oil on Sunday, November 21, 2021 was responsible for his illegal arrest and detention for weeks.

He maintained that this was despite the fact that his company, Ricardo Security Services Ltd, has security vetting and clearance from the DSS Headquarters in Abuja.

He asserted that the security operatives who stormed his home in the dead of the night came without an arrest or search warrant and all through his detention until his release on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, he was not told what his offence was.

“They broke into my house in the middle of the night, forced themselves into my children’s room, scaring my family and I, made away with my CCTV recorder, watch, laptop, documents and other valuables without any search warrant or arrest warrant.”

“Curiously, my CCTV recorder and my watch that were taken from my house were not recorded in the inventory of items taken from my house. So, where is it?”

“And until my release few days ago, they did not say why they arrested me or charge me to court. Obviously, they were looking for something to implicate me but found nothing.”

He stated that his fight against illegal oil bunkering was well known to everyone from the security agencies to the oil companies to the community stakeholders and the government, disclosing that his stance against illegal oil bunkering is what has pitched him against the cartel destroying the Niger Delta environment through “kpo fire”.

“Everybody knows I am against illegal bunkering, everybody from the DSS to Army to Police to Navy; the local government rep in the Bonny-Bodo Road project knows too. The head of DSS in Bonny at that time is also very aware. It was after I destroyed the Cotonou boat they were using for bunkering in front of Coal Beach close to Ogbonga that became angry with me.”

“Before we destroyed that boat, I was calling all of them, they refused to pick my calls. It was when I called Abuja and Shell that calls came from Abuja before they answered me.”

“I am calling on Governor Nyesom Wike, the DG of DSS, the IGP and military high command to ask them who owns that Cotonou boat and the products inside when it was impounded. We caught at the loading point. It is opposite Coal Beach jetty and everybody knows, let the JTF and DSS tell them who owns the boat.”

In another twist, the pipeline surveillance contractor, who said he was currently receiving treatment for the injuries inflicted on him, accused the DSS of collusion with a man (names withheld) currently being prosecuted for stealing by the Police in Charge No. AMC/42/C/2022, informing that the man’s wife works as an ad hoc nurse at the DSS Clinic in Port Harcourt.

“We know this guy, he is being prosecuted as we speak by the Police for stealing; but because his wife works as an ad hoc nurse in their (DSS) Clinic in Port Harcourt, they’re taking sides with him. Otherwise, why would they ask me to drop charges against him as a condition for my release?”   

“I have instructed my lawyer to demand claims of damage to the tune of N500million and they must pay me. What they did was illegal and not just contravening of the laws of this country but also a violation of my rights as a citizen and they must pay me.”

Efforts by Kristina Reports to have the reaction of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on these allegations proved abortive as at the time of this report.

Richard Abbey is the Team Lead for the Bonny Kingdom Freedom to Operate Committee (BKFTO), a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, to ensure ease of doing business for companies coming into Bonny and create the right linkages and framework between the companies and communities.