The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a 26-year-old man identified as Udeme Monday Stephen in connection with an alleged attempt to assassinate Mr. Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, security sources say.

The arrest in Edo State’s capital, Benin City, followed a gunfire attack on February 24, 2026, during a visit by Mr. Obi, former APC national chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other opposition figures at a political meeting. Shortly after the incident, the suspect reportedly posted threatening messages on his social media account claiming responsibility for the attack and warning that further violence could occur if Obi travelled to other states.

According to a senior security source, the DSS used digital forensic tools and intelligence gathering to trace the threats back to Stephen, who works as a teacher. Investigators allege that his online posts not only boasted of involvement in the Benin City attack but also contained further threats against Obi’s life as he prepared to visit other locations.

In one of the messages cited by the security agency, the suspect reportedly wrote that Obi was “lucky to have survived” in Benin and suggested that similar threats would be carried out elsewhere, a claim that heightened concerns among security officials.

The DSS said the suspect is in custody and being questioned as part of its broader investigation into the shooting incident and the alleged assassination threat. It stated that further action, including possible prosecution, will follow as investigators conclude their review of evidence and prepare a case for court.

No official public statement has yet been released by the DSS on the matter, and Mr. Obi’s campaign team has not commented publicly on this particular development.