There are strong indications that a former boss of the Department of State Services (DSS), and an influential ex-Minister(names withheld) during the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, may have formed an “extortion syndicate”, ahead of the 2023 Presidential election.

Impeccable sources, who disclosed this to Sunday Telegraph on the condition of anonymity, owing to the sensitive nature of the matter, said a governor from the South South region and a very senior public official in the nation’s monetary sector, have fallen victim to the alleged racketeering.

According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday, February 15, 2023.

Already, many politicians across the dominant political parties – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – have made public their intentions to run for the highest office in the land.

It was gathered that the former secret service boss, and the ex-minister, may be capitalising on the perceived desperation of some of the aspirants, who cut across political party lines, to extort them. It was further learnt that the duo used their purported closeness to President Mohammadu Buhari – which investigation points to the contrary – to convince the unsuspecting and unwary aspirants.

Specifically, they were alleged to use the name of an influential member of what is referred to as “cabal” in political circles, to perpetrate the act. But, findings showed that the President has no hand in the alleged criminal enterprise, as he is said not to be aware of the influence peddling, “and will never accede to same”.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that a former DSS boss, and a former minister in the first term of the government, are into a racketeering outing, using their false closeness to the seat of power. “Contrary to their claim, they have no direct access to Mr. President, whose integrity and credibility, have remained unquestionable.

“They use the name of a powerful member of what the media has now termed, “the cabal”, to advance their self-serving and extortionist cause.

“They are promising people presidential tickets, and I can tell you authoritatively, that a Governor from the South South geo-political zone of the country, and a top senior government official, have been swindled of huge cash”, one of the sources said. Another source, who spoke on a similar note, said: “Let me inform you that they even promise their victims structure of the party in states.

“While they claim to be working for the President, they are, indeed, working against him. “Let me also hasten to let you know that the duo had tried, without success, to occupy positions of authority in the present equation, but failed”.

Sunday Telegraph has additional information on the activities of the highly-placed individuals, whose identities were deliberately withheld, for purposes of confidentiality. (Sunday Telegraph: Excluding headline)

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