The Department of State Services has arrested a 26-year-old man allegedly linked to the recent attack on Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during a political meeting in Benin City, Edo State.

Obi, alongside former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Oyegun, and leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), reportedly escaped harm on February 24 when gunmen opened fire at the gathering.

Shortly after the attack, one Udeme Monday Stephen, posted on his X account @stevetom788.

He claimed responsibility for the attack and threatened further attacks on Obi.

Stephen stated online that Obi was lucky to have escaped in Benin, and vowed that the former presidential candidate wouldn’t be that lucky next time.

“We warned Obi against his entrance into Edo State, but he mistook our resolve for his Obidiots online noise. Thank his stars he (Obi) survived this one…

“I learnt he’s going to my Rivers State… Na my men go handle that one and dem no dey miss target… Speak no peace to a bastard and wish him no long life, for he’s destined to die,” posted Udeme.

A counter-insurgency and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the arrest in a post shared on Monday, citing information obtained from security sources.

According to the report, operatives of the DSS commenced a covert investigation immediately after the threats surfaced online, deploying digital forensic tools to track and apprehend the suspect.

Sources further revealed that the suspect, said to be a teacher at a secondary school in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, was traced and taken into custody following intelligence analysis linking him to the threats.

The security agency was said to have confirmed that the suspect remains in detention and would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.