A clique within the National Central Intelligence Services (NCIS) has allegedly been plotting to “eliminate” Informanté Editor-in-Chief Max Hamata for his recent exposés on the Presidential N$10million Mercedes Benzes and Chinese scholarships that infuriated top political figures.

NCIS insiders have warned the Editor-in-Chief that a hit list to eliminate him has allegedly been drawn by some people within the intelligence circles over the stories the tabloid has broken in the past two months.
The warnings follow a meeting where top security officials, including NCIS Deputy Director Bishop Shilunga, Inspector General of the Police Sebastian Ndeitunga, Police commissioners J. Nguluwe and Vilho Nghifindaka summoned Hamata to caution him for ostensibly exposing President Hifikepunye Pohamba to security risk by revealing the details of his new N$10 million presidential Mercedes Benz fleet.
Shilunga refused to comment on reports that a clique within the NCIS was plotting to “eliminate” Hamata. “I cant  comment on such kind of things,” he said.
The Chinese scholarships story revealed how children of top brass Swapo cadres, including President Pohamba’s daughter, benefited ahead of disadvantaged children.
The hit list is allegedly also targeting the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) Director Phil ya Nangolo among several others perceived to be anti-Government.
NamPol Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga yesterday said he was aware of threats made against Hamata and that he had advised him “on how to detect potential dangerous situations”.
“I am aware of threats being directed at Max (Hamata) and I have best advised him on how to handle it. Any citizen has a right to approach the Police about this. Max can alert us when it’s necessary,” Ndeitunga said.
The meeting between Hamata and the security officers came a few days after the Office of the President’s Permanent Secretary, Ndeutala Angolo made threatening remarks in a press statement over the Mercedes Benz story in a Government daily.
“The Office of the President further wishes to advise our nationals, reporters included, that such reporting compromises the safety of our Head of State and that of his counterparts and as such will not be taken very lightly.”
Ndeitunga said the meeting with Hamata was arranged to advise him on issues related to security and safety of the President.
“We sat with Max as brothers and fellow countrymen advising him on issues that can put our principal’s life at risk. It’s all our duty whether journalists, cleaners, policemen to provide security and safety of our President.
“It was a brotherly caution. We are not trying to interfere with media freedom. However, there are some cases when we feel that the President’s safety and security is at risk” he said.
Hamata said: “I have been receiving warnings from people that these (NCIS) guys were up to some monkey tricks and that they were plotting to get rid of me. I initially took these messages lightly until someone within the NCIS told me that I have to be careful because the guys wanted to finish me off.”
“My sources told me that some quarters in the NCIS have had enough after the publication of the N$10 million Presidential Mercs. They were already fuming after the Chinese scholarship exposé. But the N$10 million Presidential Mercs was the last straw,” he said, his sources told him.
Hamata said his sources also told him that intelligence officers including some politicians were not happy with the Chinese Scholarship exposé especially after the stories were re-run by the New York Times and the Herald Tribune.
At one time, three ministers held a press conference to explain the circumstances surrounding the scholarships.