Nigeria 1st News

Fayose berates DSS over arrest, detention of Ifeanyi Ubah, Says; “DSS becoming law unto itself”

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has condemned the Department of State Services (DSS) arrest and detention of the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, lamenting that “the DSS is becoming law unto itself and dragging Nigeria back to 1984 when Decree 2 was used by the National Security Organisation (NSO) to dump Nigerians in detention without trial under flimsy excuses.”

The governor, who described the DSS claim that it arrested and detained Ubah for inciting members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union to stop lifting petroleum products so as to cripple the economy and cause untold hardship to Nigerians as “nonsensical”, added that; “It is becoming obvious that if nothing is done to curb the lawlessness of the DSS, the agency will singlehandedly truncate democracy in the country.”

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said arresting and detaining Ifeanyi Ubah for economic sabotage was a sad reminder of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime.

He said under the State Security Act CAP. N 74 LFN, 2004, the responsibility of the DSS is majorly the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria and the protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning the internal security of Nigeria, noting that the service has abandoned its core duties.

“If Ubah is being held for allegedly inciting members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union to stop lifting petroleum products, one day and very soon too, members of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) will be sent to jail for going on strike to agitate for their welfare,” the governor said.

Governor Fayose, who said Nigerians did not vote for change to be hounded by the DSS as it is being done since the emergence of this All Progressives Congress (APC) government, noted that; “That’s the same way the DSS arrested the former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan in February and detained him until two days ago, claiming that he constituted security risk and failed to cooperate with investigators.

“The other time too, this same DSS claimed that it uncovered plot by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike to disrupt governance in strategic federal government agencies and one can begin to imagine if the DSS won’t one day accuse whoever that is perceived as opposing the APC-led government of coup plot.”

Speaking further, Governor Fayose said; “Nigerians should be reminded that I raised alarm when this regime of impunity started with the invasion of the Akwa-Ibom State government house and later the Ekiti State House of Assembly. I did say then that democracy in Nigeria was becoming unsafe in the hands of this APC government and that those keeping silent because of politics might also end up in the belly of the roaring lion that was threatening to consume our democracy.

“Those who ought to have joined in condemning the DSS impunity at that time kept silent for fear of the unknown.

"Now it is Ifeanyi Ubah that they have visited with their tyranny, who knows who will be next?

“Well-meaning Nigerians and the international community must therefore raise their voice in condemnation of this regime of tyranny being ran be the DSS.”

Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah

Mr Dan Bature, an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police in Charge of Zone 11 comprising Oyo, Osun and Ondo states, says any policeman checking vehicle particulars on the highways is on illegal duty.

Bature said this on Wednesday in Ibadan during a two-day familiarisation visit to Oyo State.

He said that the duty of the police was not to check vehicle particulars but to ensure safer roads.

Bature warned policemen against blocking high ways, saying police patrol vehicles were not supposed to be toll gates.

He said the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was committed to changing the negative image of the police and supporting the anticorruption war of the Federal Government.

Bature advised officers unable to key into the laudable initiatives of the IGP to resign from the force.

He said that a lot was expected by the public from the police, adding that this informed the monitoring of officers.

“The Inspector General of Police is determined to improve on your welfare and pursue the increment of your salary.

“But this can only be achieved when the people have good perception about the police, “Bature said.

Earlier, Sam Adegbuyi, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, said that the officers were dedicated and patriotic.

Adegbuyi said that in view of the population of Oyo State, the command needed to create three more Area Commands in addition to the existing four commands.

He commended the AIG, Oyo government and the Police Community Relation Committee for the successes recorded so far in the fight against crime.

The spokesperson for Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi, has said seventeen junior officers have been dismissed from the Service for offences ranging from drug addiction, certificate forgery, theft and absence from duty from January to September 2016.

“Investigations into offences committed by the officers in the senior category are now being concluded. Officers found guilty are expected to face similar stiff penalties.

“These disciplinary measures were taken after series of investigations and deliberations by the disciplinary committee and recommendations were made to the Management.

“This process is a continuation of the reform agenda the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) promised upon his assumption of office which emphasized discipline, good conduct and transparency.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has denied that the federal government swapped some Boko Haram prisoners for the 21 Chibok girls released by the terrorist group early Thursday morning.
Addressing a press conference on the release of the abducted girls, Mr. Mohammed said the girls were released following credible information from trusted negotiators among the leadership of Boko Haram.

He said the president, Muhammadu Buhari, gave directives to officials of the State Security Service after it was certain that the release of the girls was possible, based on the information provided.
“The moment we had a credible lead, we built confidence on our sources and the president gave authorities to the SSS to pursue the release if the girls.

“As soon as the necessary confidence was built on both sides, the parties agreed on the date and the location of the release of the 21 girls. Please note that this is not a swap. It is a release, the
product of painstaking negotiations and trust on both sides.

“As soon as agreements were reached; the parties decided on a place of exchange and the girls were released.
“They were immediately flown to Kaduna state where they are expected shortly; this afternoon to Abuja”, said Mr. Mohammed.

He said government had put in place medical, psychological and trauma experts, as well as social workers to help attend to the health needs of the girls upon their return to Abuja.

October 13, 2016

Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

There was palpable tension in Enugu on Wednesday as the state began the recruitment of neighbourhood watch members in all its communities.

Our correspondent learnt that a total of 25,000 persons, mostly able-bodied young men, are to be recruited across the state to form neighbourhood security outfits.

No fewer than 50 persons are to be selected to serve in each of the 470 communities in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the development followed a directive by the state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Although, the plan to form the security outfits was mostly informed by the need to forestall herdsmen attacks in the state, our correspondent learnt the move was also to check other criminal activities.

The selected neighbourhood watch members are to be trained by retired military and police officers on basic security procedures, including handling of light weapons, among others.

An undisclosed sum would be paid to the neighbourhood watch members, as stipend from contributions that would be made by the state government, local councils and the communities.

Our correspondent gathered that although many people welcomed the establishment of the neighbourhood security outfit, the method being used in selecting members is causing tension and disaffection in various communities.

It was learnt that traditional rulers have been asked to recruit the 50 persons that would make up their community security units. Sources in some of the communities revealed that some prominent community members were opposed to the arrangement. They fear traditional rulers might fill the entire slots with their cronies.

A chief in one of the communities in the Nkanu area of Enugu, who did not wish to be named, told our correspondent, “It is a known fact that most of the traditional rulers are not on good terms with their subjects, and as a result of this, it would not be safe to allow them to pick members of the neighbourhood watch.

“Tomorrow, they can turn those boys into a private army and use them to victimise their opponents or anybody they don’t like.”

The President of Nsukka Development Congress, Chief John Onyishi, voiced similar concerns in a chat with journalists.

Onyishi said, “Over 50 per cent of traditional rulers in Enugu State are engaged in disputes with their chiefs and other subjects.

“Nobody will allow his enemy to guard him and asking traditional rulers to produce names of such neighbourhood watch members is suicidal. It is like committing mass suicide.”

Another community leader in the Udi area, who equally spoke on the matter but wished not to be named, said other stakeholders, apart from the traditional rulers, should be allowed to contribute to the selection of members of the neighborhood watch units.

When contacted over the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Louis Amoke, said he would get back to our correspondent. But he had not done that as of the time of filing this report.

~Punch