DSS Personnel Threatens To Kill Journalist Over Electricity Bill
A Department of State Services (DSS) officer attached to the Kebbi State Command, identified as Dauda Auwalu Taura, has reportedly assaulted a journalist, Mallam Shuaibu Zubair, a correspondent for Authority newspaper, following a disagreement over an unpaid electricity bill.
The altercation escalated when Taura, who allegedly paid only ₦4,000 of the ₦5,000 owed for electricity, became enraged after his co-tenants, led by Zubair, confronted him over the incomplete payment. The officer slapped Zubair multiple times and threatened to kill him, stating that his position in the DSS would shield him from any consequences.
Speaking to the newsmen about the ordeal, Mallam Shuaibu Zubair explained.
“Taura occupies two apartments, each billed at ₦2,500 monthly. The total electricity bill for the tenants is ₦10,000, and while everyone else paid their share, it was discovered that Taura had underpaid. When we approached him to resolve the issue, he became furious, slapped me six times in the presence of other tenants, and threatened my life. He said, ‘You have received a beating for nothing, and you will die for nothing. If I kill you today, nothing will happen.’”
Zubair, who is now dealing with aggravated eye problems from the assault, expressed fears for his safety, stating that living in the same building as Taura feels dangerous.
A neighbor, Maryam Aminu, confirmed the attack, describing how Taura slapped Zubair twice and attempted to strangle him before neighbors intervened.
“He slapped him twice and jerked his clothes, trying to strangle him. We had to run out and call other neighbors to rescue the journalist,” Aminu recounted.
Another neighbor, Mallam Haliru Usman, corroborated the incident:
“I was in my room when I was called to help intervene. After the issue, I suggested they settle amicably, but the journalist insisted he had been cheated and would take action. As a Muslim, if I am called to testify anywhere, I will do so truthfully because I witnessed what happened.”
Mallam Zubair has filed a lawsuit against Taura over the unprovoked attack and death threats. The case is expected to be mentioned in court once the suspect is served a summons.
