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Tag: dss

  • PDP urges NIA, DSS, Interpol to track down ‘on-the-run’ Oshiomhole

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and INTERPOL to track down “National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, believed to be on the run outside the country since his reported interrogation by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged corruption charges”.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said, “Oshiomhole’s swift flight out of the country, at the heat of the investigation, is suspect and goes to confirm allegations that the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency is shielding him from prosecution for fear that his investigation would implicate certain interests at the Presidency and the APC”.

    “It is ludicrous that the APC, in its lying proclivities, believes that by dismissing Oshiomhole’s arrest as a rumour and aiding him to momentarily flee the country, it would succeed in getting him off the DSS hook as well as sweeping the matter out of public discourse with its famished broom.

    “No! Nigerians are already aware that Oshiomhole has not denied his investigation including his reported confession that the Presidency was in the loop of all his actions.

    “The PDP had always cautioned Adams Oshiomhole of his unbridled arrogance, lust for power and alleged embezzlement of public funds for which he must surely have his day in the hands of the law.

    “The PDP therefore demands that APC and the Buhari Presidency must immediately produce Adams Oshiomhole to face investigation and prosecution in our courts,” Ologbondiyan stated.

     

  • Galadima’s bride-to-be niece health condition worries family

    The family of the late Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Galadima, has expressed deep worries about the state of health of Rahab Amos Galadima since the traditional ruler of the Adara chiefdom in Kaduna state was murdered by his kidnappers after collecting an undisclosed amount in ransoms.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Dr. Galadima was kidnapped on the 19th of October 2018 on his way back from Kaduna where he had attended the “Send Forth” prayer that held at the Nazareth Baptist Church Ungwan Boro for Rahab, niece of the late Agom Adara.

    Galadima’s niece, Rahab has kept saying the late Agom Adara’s voice kept ringing in her ears, and that his face keeps flashing each time she closes her eyes.

    “His voice keeps ringing in my ears, his face flashing each time I close my eyes and his words written on the tablet of my heart. Yes Dr. Maiwada Galadima, my honest, caring and loving uncle.

    “Daddy, how can I get over this? How can I say goodnight when the day is still young and bright? How can I forget the blessings you rained on me on my send forth? Kai my heart bleeds lot please speak to me once again oh Daddy let me hear u call my name with that soft gentle voice again,” she lamented.

    According to close family sources, “Rahab has been inconsolable right from the day her uncle, the Agom Adara was kidnapped, because she holds herself kind of responsible, that if he didn’t attend her bridal showers, he wouldn’t have been kidnapped.

    “She was hopeful that he would be released especially after the kidnappers demanded for ransoms. But once he was killed she became devastated and her State of health a concern for the family, considering that her uncle has been looking after them, since the death of their father”.

    Dr. Galadima was abducted a day after 55 persons were killed in Kasuwan Magani.

    When the State Council of Chiefs and Emirs met the governor on Tuesday, 23 October 2018, the Agwatyap reported that HRH Agom Adara had previously expressed concern about the growing problem of kidnapping on that road.

    “It has since become clear that there is no truth in the initial reports that the late Chief was in Kaduna for a meeting between the State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the State Council of Chiefs and Emirs,” a family source stated.

    Family sources indicate that a new date for the wedding between Rahab and her heartthrob, Faith Luka Zarmai, which was to have taken place on 27th October at the Assemblies of God Church Narayi Kaduna would be fixed after the burial of the late Chief.

    “It is hoped that Rahab would have sufficiently recovered from her shock and move on with her life.

    “We will continue praying and counseling her to accept the death of her uncle and father as the Lords doing.

    “We believe the Agom Adara has gone to rest in the bosom of the Lord” said the close family source,” a family source said.

    Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested and paraded some suspects allegedly connected to the gruesome murder of Galadima.

    According to the DSS, one of the suspects is a marked member of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

    The DSS revealed that the suspects demanded N100 million as ransom but the family was said to have only afforded six million, eight hundred and fifty thousand naira, which was delivered to the suspects.

    But still, they ‘wasted’ the revered monarch.

    It is a 20 man gang, according to the DSS authorities.

    They say they are on the trail of the rest, promising to stop at nothing until they are arrested and made to face justice.

     

  • DSS denies aiding Kanu’s escape

    The Department of State Services ( DSS), has denied that five of its personnel aided Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to escape from his Umuahia home on Sept. 14, 2017.
    The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) reports that Kanu’s whereabouts was unknown, until he surfaced in Israel recently, after the alleged Sept. 14 raid by a combined team of the Army, Police and the DSS at his home in Umuahia, Abia.
    “The Service wishes to state that the news is fake, mischievous and defamatory. It is nothing but a figment of the imagination of the originators,”he said.
    A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Peter Afunanya, said that the purported report was fake, mischievous and defamatory.
    He said that the stock in trade of Kanu and his collaborators, was to peddle rumours, gossips and propaganda aimed at subverting the government, its key agencies and officials,
    He said that the service was aware of some unscrupulous elements keen on exploiting the situation to constitute a nuisance to the freedom of Nigerians as guaranteed in the Constitution.
    Afunanya said that the elements were also keen on disrupting the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
    “The DSS will not idly standby and watch these undesirable elements achieve their aims,”he said.
    NAN

  • Jos pond of death: Senate urges FG, security agencies to find Alkali

    The Senate on Wednesday called on the federal government and security agencies to intensify effort towards finding Major General Idris M. Alkali, who has disappeared since September 4th, and whose car was found two days after draining a Jos pond that has been tagged pond of death.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Senate made the call after hearing a presentation by Senator Mohammed Hassan on the disappearance of the retired Army Major General.
    Major General Alkali who was the immediate past Director of Administration of Nigerian Army was declared missing barely two months after his retirement.
    On Monday, 4th September 2018, Alkali’s wife, Mrs. Salamatu Alkali alerted the Army authorities that her husband who had departed Abuja the previous day in the morning for Bauchi had not reached his destination, after informing her the previous day at about noon that he arrived Jos safely and would be passing through Du road to Bauchi.
    TNG reports that was the last communication she had with her husband until this moment as his where about is presently unknown.
    Following his disappearance, the Nigerian Army with the support of the Nigerian Police, Department of State Security, Fire Service and other security agencies embarked on intensive search vide tracking of his phone up to when it was switched off as well as relying on tip-offs.
    Senator Hassan in his presentation acknowledged the thoroughness of the investigation of the Nigerian Army and other Security Agencies who narrowed their search to a pool of water in Lafande Community in Du District of Plateau State by using local divers from Wase and Taraba State to search the pond since the community claimed they did not have local divers.
    Earlier efforts of the Army and other Security Agencies did not yield the desired result, hence the whole pond was drained amidst protest from local women from the community who attempted to stop the Army from draining the water on the pretense that it was their only source of drinking water.
    The Senate confirmed that after two days of draining of the pond, a bus was found in the pond alleged to belong to a young man that had earlier disappeared along that road, while on 29th September, 2018 at about 6:00pm a Toyota car with Registration Number MUN 670 AA belonging to Maj. Gen IM Alkali was pulled out of the water with some of his belongings without any trace of his person, while another car (Rover) was recovered from the pond whose owner disappeared in 2013.
    The Senate also “Acknowledges with serious concern the reported disappearance of numerous commuters along the DU axis fin the past few years, especially Bauchi on-ward bound travelers and the need to address same urgently.
    “This incident raises some pertinent questions: why did the people from Du Community refused to assist the Security Agencies during the search; why did the people (women) try to prevent the Army from draining the water; why didn’t the community raise a formal complaint from the local government to the state government about the draining of the water; who were those spreading false information about the circumstances of the disappearance of Maj. General IM Alkali and what were their motives”.
    The Senate, therefore, accordingly resolves to urge the Federal Government to setup an investigate Panel of enquiries to examine and determine the remote and immediate circumstances surrounding the dumping of cars in the ponds in DU District, and identify and interrogate possible suspects in this dastardly not and ensure that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to other criminally minded persons in the strongest possible terms.
    The Senate condemned the act and urged all the surrounding communities (DU axis) to cooperate with Security Agencies to uncover this crime and criminality; and urged the Security Agencies to intensify effort towards finding Maj. Gen IM Alkali.
     

  • DSS commences nationwide release of untried detainees

    Indications emerged on Saturday that the new leadership of the Department of State Security (DSS) may have started making good its promise to review cases of all detainees in its custody.

    Seven Ijaw youths from Bayelsa State who were arrested two years ago and locked up in the organization’s cell since then were yesterday set free in Yenagoa.

    The agency’s newly appointed Acting Director -General, Mr. Mathew Seiyefa, told reporters at his maiden press conference two weeks ago that he would review the cases of detainees with a view to setting free those who are not supposed to be held.

    The seven Bayelsa men were brought from the DSS Headquarters in Abuja to Yenagoa at the weekend and released to their families who had gathered outside the agency’s office in the state capital to receive them.

    Some of the suspects shed tears of joy in the warm embrace of their friends as they walked into freedom.

    The suspects looked unkempt with overgrown beards, rough skin and dirty clothes.

    One of them, who identified himself as Clinton Ohaigbofa, said suspects held without trial were being massively released across the country.

    He hails from Ebedebiri in Ogbia Local Government Area.

    He said they were held in underground cells in Abuja and went through untold hardship.

    They were never charged to court, he said.

    Narrating how they landed in DSS detention, he said: “We didn’t do anything. We were arrested on May 24th, 2016. We were taken to the JTF headquarters in Opolo and were later transferred to DMI, Abuja.

    “After interrogation, we were transferred to Defence Intelligence Agency. On August 26, 2016, we were transferred to the Department of State Service, Abuja. We stayed there for over two years.”

    Reliving their ordeals in the DSS cell, he said: “They treated us badly. We were held in an underground cell. They gave us little bread in the morning, little rice in the afternoon and a morsel of semovita in the evening.

    “Each portion of food cannot satisfy a two-year old baby. They deprived us of everything. They didn’t even take us to court. There was no freedom to even see light. They subjected us to severe punishment. They kept us hungry and deprived us of medication. Suspects are being released massively because of the new DSS boss. I don’t know the actual number released so far. But we thank the new DSS boss.”

     

  • Order DSS’ withdrawal from NFF Secretariat, Footballers tell Osinbajo

    A group representing retired and active footballers on Wednesday in Abuja urged the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, to order an immediate withdrawal of security personnel from the Nigeria Football Federation Secretariat.

    The group was led by Harrison Jalla, President of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF), as well as Victor Baribote, a former Second Vice-President of NFF.

    It argued that the presence of men of the Department of State Security at the Glass House at Wuse Zone 7 in Abuja was inimical to football development.

    During a peaceful protest at the NFF Secretariat, just before the gates leading to the Glass House, the group described the development as a violation of the rule of law.

    The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as, “Nigeria is a creation of law, DSS should obey the laws of the land’’ and “FG, sack DSS Director of Operations’’.

    Other placards bore inscriptions such as “Osinbajo, direct DSS to follow rule of law, our laws are being disobeyed’’ and “Tell DSS to obey rule of law’’.

    Addressing sports journalists thereafter, Jalla noted that the continued presence of the DSS in the NFF Secretariat was an affront on the Nigeria Constitution.

    Jalla restated the call for the withdrawal of DSS personnel, saying it was time to uphold the tenets of the country’s law, and warning that failure to do so could lead to “anarchy’’.

    “There will be anarchy if by tomorrow (Thursday) they (DSS personnel) don’t leave here,’’ he said.

    (NAN)

  • Breaking: We didn’t find money in Daura’s house – DSS

    Breaking: We didn’t find money in Daura’s house – DSS

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied and described as untrue the allegation that a huge sum of money and weapons were found in the house of sacked Director-General of the agency, Lawal Daura.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the DSS made this claim on Monday in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the agency, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, in Abuja.

    He said there was no iota of truth in the allegation that N21bn and unspecified number of Permanent Voter Cards were found in Daura’s houses.

    The videos, which Opuiyo had described as fake, gave an impression that the search was conducted at the residence of the former DG in both Abuja and Daura, Katsina State.

    The spokesman for the agency said that there was no search carried out in the home of Daura by any security agency.

    “The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to the circulation of fake information and videos in which several items were said to have been recovered from the Katsina and Abuja homes of its immediate past Director General, Lawal Daura.

    “These non-existent items include: N21bn cash, 400 assorted and sophisticated small arms and light weapons/rifles, and thousands of Permanent Voter Cards belonging to Niger Republic immigrants.

    “In another video also in circulation, some persons believed to be personnel of a security outfit were seen forcing open safes stocked with money.

    “The security operatives were described as executing a recovery operation at the Katsina home of the former DG.

    “Consequently, the Service wishes to inform the public that these videos are false and should be disregarded.

    “So far, no such recovery operations have been undertaken by the EFCC or any other security agency at DSS’ office or residences of the former DG.

    “There is no doubt that different interests have continued to give varied accounts of the incident of last week at the National Assembly.

    “It may, however, be recalled that the Presidency had pledged to carry out a detailed investigation regarding the alleged National Assembly siege,” the statement read.

     

  • Falana writes new DSS boss, seeks immediate release of Dasuki, El Zakzaky, others

    Human rights lawyer and activist, Femi Falana (SAN), has written a letter to the acting Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Matthew Seiyefa to facilitate the release of of some Nigerians in custody of the service without trial and despite court orders for their unconditional release.

    Recall that Acting-President Yemi Osinbajo approved appointment of Seiyefa in acting capacity few hours after directing the former DG, Lawal Daura’s sack.

    The new DG upon appointment gave strong indications that he would not toe the inglorious path of his predecessor at a maiden press briefing last Thursday. Amongst the promises he made was an immediate review of all pending cases of illegal detention of persons, as well as the need to appoint a spokesperson for the department.

    He also vowed to significantly improve the agency’s image from its current infamy to an institution packed with professionals in law enforcement and protection of citizens against internal aggression.

    Falana, in an August 10 letter, reminded Seiyefa of his promises and urged him to start living up to them by ordering immediate release of some detained persons, some of whom are his clients.

    The senior lawyer’s letter is reproduced in full as follows:

    August 10, 2018

    Mathew Seiyefa Esq.,
    Acting Director-General,
    State Security Service,
    Maitama District,
    Abuja.

    Request for the urgent release of hundreds of persons detained illegally by the State Security Service

    We congratulate you on your appointment as the Acting Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS). While wishing you a successful tenure we urge you to restore the lost glory of the SSS by restricting the management and staff of the organisation to the prevention and detection of any crime against the internal security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in accordance with the National Security Agencies Act.

    We are however compelled to draw your attention to the fact that our law firm has had a running battle for the last three years with Mr. Musa Daura, the immediate past Director-General of the SSS as a result of the incessant arrest and detention of Nigerian citizens and foreigners without trial. Some of the infringements of the human rights of criminal suspects and other persons perpetrated by Mr. Daura include the following:

    1. Apart from not obtaining orders from Magistrate Courts for the remand of suspects in line with section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, Mr. Musa Daura treated the orders of several courts for the release of detainees with contempt. He became so power drunk that he harrassed judges and lawyers who challenged his penchant for subverting the rule of law. At a stage we had to remind him that the brutal military dictators who trained minions like him did not succeed in cowing us into submission when we were fighting for the restoration of democratic rule in the country.

    2. Unfortunately, the public officers who have a bounden duty under the Mohammadu Buhari administration to call Mr. Daura to order have turned themselves into the defenders of his pompous impunity by making nebulous references to “national security” or “public interest”. Hence, Mr. Daura has wilfully ignored the order of the federal high court made on December 2016 for their release of Sheik Ibraheem and Hajia Zeinab Elzakzaky from the illegal custody of the SSS.

    3. Even though Sheik Elzakzaky lost his right eye as a result of the injury sustained when he was shot by soldiers in Zaria on December 15, 2015, Mr. Daura rejected the recommendation of eye specialists that the detainee be flown abroad for medical treatment to prevent the loss of his left eye in the custody of the SSS. Mrs Elzakzaky who was also shot during the violent military attack has been denied access to medical experts who have offered to extract some bullets from her body. Thus, the SSS has subjected the couple to excruciating physical pain and mental agony in violation of their fundamental right to freedom from degrading treatment guaranteed by section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic, 1999 as amended.

    4. As you are no doubt aware, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), a former National Security Adviser is standing trial for treasonable felony and corruption before the Federal High Court and the Federal Capital Territory High Court respectively. Although the defendant has been admitted to bail by both trial courts the SSS has continued to detain him without any legal justification. As if that is not enough the order of the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States directing the Federal Government to release Col. Dasuki on bail pending trial has also been treated with disdain by the SSS. Even though the defendant has not been charged with culpable homicide the defenders of Mr. Daura’s disobedience of court orders have belatedy turned round to accuse the defendant of being responsible for the death of over 100,000 people!

    5. However, we have just confirmed that hundreds of other criminal suspects are being detained in dehumaniding conditions in the several detention facilities of the SSS in Abuja and in all the states of the federation. From the information at our disposal the detention of majority of the suspects is not connected to national security in any material particular. For instance, our law firm has recently secured the release of two Indian nationals (Messrs Nittin Verma and Umesh Asudani) who were held in the detention centre of the SSS in Abuja for over 7 months on grounds that they had allegedly defrauded a Kano-based businessman. Before the suspects were illegally arrested by the SSS the same complaint was being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which had admitted the suspects to administrative bail. As Mr. Daura could not defend the detention of the suspects he caused an official of the SSS to swear to a false affidavit in the Federal High Court to the effect that they were involved in terrorism!

    6. On account of corruption and abuse of office which characterised the tenure of Mr. Daura the SSS took over many criminal cases that were being investigated by other security and anti graft agencies. Thus, by compromising such criminal cases he exposed the anti corruption policy of the Buhari administration to ridicule. Indeed, a number of the suspects in the custody of the SSS have been held incommunicado for about 3 years in contravention of section 6 (2) (c) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which has imposed a duty on all detaining authorities in Nigeria to notify the next of kin or relative of every suspect of the arrest at no cost to the suspect. Two of the victims of such prolonged incarceration are Mr. Jones Abiri, a journalist and Mr. Peter Collins Opume, an undergraduate of the Niger Delta Delta University, Yenogoa, Bayelsa State. Both citizens have been detained in the SSS dungeon at Abuja for over two years without trial.

    7. Based on the instruction of the Committee to Protect Journalists, a Non-Governmental Organisation based in New York, United States, our law firm filed an application at the Federal High Court last month to secure the enforcement of Mr. Abiri’s fundamental right to personal liberty. As the SSS could not justify the prolonged detention of the journalist, Mr. Daura decided to rush him to a Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja where he and Mr. Opume were arraigned on a trump up charge of sending a text message to an official of an oil company on or about June 26, 2016. Although the trial Magistrate admitted both defendants to bail they have not been able to meet the conditions attached to the bail. Hence, they have been remanded in Keffi Prison pending trial. However, Mr. Abiri’s wife and children were opportuned to set their eyes on him in the prison custody today after two years of illegal separation caused by the SSS.

    In the light of the foregoing and in view of your commitment to review the cases of all detainees in the custody of the SSS we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to implement the following recommendations:

    i. Discontinue the frivolous charge pending against Messrs Jones Abiri and Peter Collins Opume at the Wuse Magistrate Court;

    ii. Release the hundreds of detainees that are languishing without trial in the various detention centres of the SSS;

    iii. Release Col. Dasuki and other criminal suspects who have been admitted to bail by municipal and regional courts;

    iv. Release Sheik Ibraheem Elzakzaky and Hajia Zeinab Elzakzaky from illegal custody in line with the orders of the Federal High Court.

    v. Respect the rights of suspects to consult legal practitioners of their choice before making, endorsing or writing any statement or answering any question put to them after arrest;

    vi. Draw the attention of all SSS investigators to the Anti-Torture Act of 2017 which has criminalized the use of torture in all security agencies;

    vii. Ensure that all detention facilities of the SSS are inspected monthly by the Visiting Judge of the Federal High Court in accordance with the provision of section 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act;

    viii. Stop the SSS from further usurping the powers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with respect to the investigation of allegations of murder, stealing, fraud, money laundering, corruption and other economic and financial crimes which are not connected to national security;

    ix. Ban the operatives of the SSS from wearing masks as no military or paramilitary official is authorised by law to hide his/her identity in the course of performing official duties;

    x. Ensure that the SSS operates within the ambit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended and the National Security Agencies Act.

    Finally, having assured the Nigerian people of your commitment to ensure that the SSS respects the rights of all persons and operates under the rule of law we hope that you will take urgent steps to improve the image of the security outfit from its current infamy and lawlessness to an institution that is completely dedicated to the enforcement of security laws and the protection of citizens against all acts of internal aggression. However, we assure you of our unalloyed support if you are prepared to defend the security of the nation and protect the fundamental rights of the people of Nigeria in strict compliance with the provisions of chapter four of the Constitution.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Femi Falana SAN

     

  • NASS siege: Police submits report on DSS probe to Osinbajo, makes shocking revelations [See letter]

    The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has submitted the report on the controversial invasion of the National Assembly to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The report which was obtained by TheNewsGuru.com on Thursday night indicted the sacked Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

    In a report on the controversial incident prepared for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, Mr Idris said Mr Daura was working for some politicians for selfish interest, but did not name the accomplices.

    He said Mr Daura did not consult with other security agencies before ordering the siege, and questioned the validity of a security report that allegedly anticipated a violence at the parliament.

    Mr Daura was sacked by Mr Osinbajo on Tuesday afternoon. He was immediately handed over to the police for further interrogation, after unathorised deployment of SSS officers that sparked nationwide outrage and condemnation.

    Mr Idris said the police have been interrogating Mr Daura in Garki, Abuja, since he was arrested.

     

  • EFCC frees ex-DSS DG, Ita Ekpeyong

    EFCC frees ex-DSS DG, Ita Ekpeyong

    Former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Ita Ekpeyong, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), hours after his arrest.

    THeNewsGuru.com had reported that officials of the commission and armed policemen arrested Ekpeyong on Thursday at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja.

    It was learned that Ekpeyong, who served as the head of the DSS from 2010 to 2015, was arrested over his alleged role in the arms scandal involving former National Security Adviser Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retired)

    This comes just two days after his successor, Lawan Daura, was dismissed by acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    In November last year, operatives of the DSS had prevented EFCC officials from arresting Ekpeyong.

    It was learned, at the time, that Daura directed his operatives to prevent Ekpeyong from being arrested.