Lafia, Nigeria – The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has raised serious concerns over what it described as the harassment and intimidation of a federal constituency aspirant, Hon. Terry Tsala, by the Nasarawa State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Hassan Abdullahi.
In a press statement issued on March 30, 2026, the National Publicity Officer of the forum, Luka Binniyat, alleged that the DSS director is targeting the aspirant over a lawful attempt to secure a locally made hunting gun for self-defense amid worsening insecurity across the region.
According to Mr. Binniyat, Hon. Tsala, who is contesting to represent the Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, recently procured a locally made hunting gun from a licensed maker. He described this as a lawful step taken by the aspirant to protect himself, noting that it is “normal for the few that can afford it in many communities facing insecurity in the Middle Belt.”
The situation took a troubling turn, Mr. Binniyat stated, when Mr. Hassan Abdullahi ordered the arrest of Hon. Tsala on allegations of ordering five hunting rifles—a claim the aspirant has firmly and repeatedly denied. He alleged that Tsala has since been summoned multiple times to the DSS office in Lafia and is being pressured to accept a confession that he insists is false.
“We must state it clearly: hunting guns are not illegal when properly obtained,” Mr. Binniyat said, emphasizing that Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to life, which includes the right of citizens to take reasonable steps to defend themselves when their lives are under threat.
The MBF spokesperson further accused the Nasarawa DSS director of acting in the interest of “those terrorizing our land,” arguing that the harassment is intended to frighten citizens and leave them helpless in the face of ongoing attacks. He noted that Nasarawa State has sadly become a base for attacks on neighboring Middle Belt states, including Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kogi, and Southern Kaduna.
Mr. Binniyat pointed to a sharp contradiction between the actions of the state DSS director and the recent public stance of the DSS Director General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, who called on communities to serve as the “first line of defense” against terrorists.
“How can people defend themselves when officers are arresting them for trying to get even the most basic lawful tools?” he queried.
The forum called on the federal government to act honestly by establishing a proper and supervised system that allows for the mass production of basic defense tools, making them accessible to citizens lawfully and at affordable cost. According to Mr. Binniyat, this is the only way to curb the impunity with which citizens are killed and communities plundered.
He also expressed the forum’s readiness to cooperate with international interests, stating that with the United States showing interest in the killings of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt, the MBF is prepared to encourage communities to provide information on “Persons of Particular Interest in the ongoing genocide in the Middle Belt.” He therefore called on the United States to closely examine the actions of public servants like Mr. Hassan Abdullahi.
Mr. Binniyat concluded with a stark warning, holding the state DSS director personally accountable for the aspirant’s safety.
“Finally, we make it very clear: if anything happens to Hon. Terry Tsala, the MBF will know who to hold responsible,” he stated.
Efforts to reach the Nasarawa State DSS command for a response regarding the allegations were unsuccessful as of press time.
Post Comment