Security Operatives Raid Former VP Namadi Sambo’s House

The heavily armed men were said to have come from the State Security Service (SSS), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

The operatives stormed the residence of the former vice president at No. 1 Alimi road in Kaduna, “around 3:07 p.m., conducted their search and left at about 5:28 p.m,” a resident of the neighbourhood who witnessed the raid said.

“The armed team came in a white Toyota Hilux, a Toyota Corolla and a Coaster bus, a Toyota Hilux van and a dark coloured Toyota Corolla car.”

Confirming the raid to journalist, an ICPC official said: “Yes, we carried out a raid of the former Vice President Sambo’s house around 3:00pm today (Wednesday) with other agencies,” the operative said but declined to give further details because he has no official permission to speak to journalists.

“You can contact our headquarters in Abuja for details,” he added.

Umar Sani, the former media aide to Mr. Sambo, who also confirmed Wednesday’s raid said it was the fifth by security operatives on the house.

He accused Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress of allegedly intimidating people to scare possible contenders in 2019.

“This is not the first time they are searching the house. They have been coming to search the house on several occasions,” Mr. Sani said.

“Today they came with a court order and gave a copy of the court order to the Chief Security Officer in the house.

“After they finished the search, they wrote at the back page of the court order that they gave to the CSO that they didn’t find anything and they left.

“So we are not surprised because it has now become a routine activity,” Mr. Sani said.

Mr. Sambo, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, served as Vice President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015, deputy to then ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.