SSS probes Buhari over poll violence Written by Nuruddeen M. Abdallah  plugin Former Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari, who was President Goodluck Jonathan’s main challenger in last April’s election is under investigation by the State Security Service (SSS) over his campaign speeches in the build up to the election, reliable sources told Daily Trust in Abuja yesterday.  The sources said the thinking in government is that there is a discernible link between Buhari’s speeches on the hustings and the election violence that trailed the presidential election.   Buhari lost the election to Jonathan, but as soon as the results were announced violence flared up in about 10 states in the North. Government officials alleged Buhari’s insistence that voters should guard their votes had encouraged people to go on rampage as soon as it was announced that Jonathan had won the election. But Buhari and his party, the Congress for Democratic Change, had since dismissed the claim, saying that some prominent religious figures as well as the head of the electoral commission Professor Attahiru Jega had also asked voters to guard their votes. Daily Trust learnt that the investigation by the SSS began a few months ago and it had taken undercover agents to some electronic media organisations asking for Buhari’s campaign speeches and jingles. At least one of the electronic media organizations had declined to oblige the request, according to our sources. The request was then routed through one of the regulatory agencies, but it was not clear whether it was obliged. One television station, which co-incidently aired most of the CPC presidential candidate’s campaign rallies and jingles, reportedly turned down the security outfit’s demand, citing “ethical reasons.” Daily Trust also learnt that at the same time a parallel search for Buhari’s campaign tapes   were going on by a group of lawyers in Abuja. They were going about inquiring from journalists how they could lay hands on such footages. At least four journalists confirmed they were approached and asked if they possess any recordings of Buhari’ campaign tapes, and if not whether they could ask around for them. But the lawyers couldn’t succeed with them. One of the journalists consulted by these lawyers told Daily Trust that the lawyers approached him recently requesting him to provide them with “some of the tapes of Buhari campaigns, particularly in the northern part of the country where he made inciting statements.” “One of the lawyers who approached me said that some of his colleagues are planning to drag Buhari to court over the recent bomb blasts and general insecurity in the country. They therefore wanted me to provide them with the tapes where the CPC presidential candidate made inciting statements, urging his supporters to resort to violence if the elections were rigged,” the journalist said. The source added that the lawyers were also ready to pay some tangible amount of money “for the service he would provide.” He told Daily Trust that they were ready to pay any amount “provided he would give them the tapes and even serve as a witness when the trial resumes.” SSS spokesperson Marylyn Ogar did not respond when Daily Trust called to get her comment on the matter. Questions sent to her phone on October 8 on the issues were also not answered. When Daily Trust contacted Buhari, his close aide confirmed that the CPC leader is aware of the plot. “The General has received some report over the SSS plot to implicate him,” the aide who spoke in confidence said. “Buhari is not bothered about what they are doing because all his campaign speeches were not made in secret; they were publicly made. Therefore, he has nothing to fear about whoever is investigating his political speeches,” the aide said.