Samuel Ortom, the immediate past governor of Benue State, has denied allegations linking him to the 2017 arrest and detention of his predecessor, Gabriel Suswam, by the Department of State Security Services (DSS).
In response to claims made in an online publication by Denen Achusa, Ortom, through his media aide Terver Akase, described the allegations as false and unprofessional.
“The DSS made it clear that Suswam’s arrest was based on an operation uncovering sophisticated weapons in his possession,” the statement read, citing reports from February 2017.
Ortom clarified that the money laundering case against Suswam, involving N3.1 billion, began before his tenure as governor in 2015. He further noted that while his administration initiated a financial probe into Suswam’s government, it halted actions following the Tiv Traditional Council’s intervention.
Akase criticized the publication’s breach of journalistic ethics, urging news organizations to employ trained professionals to maintain credibility and fairness.
The former governor emphasized his commitment to transparency and denied any involvement in Suswam’s legal and security challenges.
