Secret Reporters No place to hide
The leadership of our organization after carefully following the recent news of the raid of the Akwa Ibom Government House, Uyo by the men of the Department of State Services (DSS) and critically analyzing the dangers it portents to the entrenchment of the rule of law and sustenance of a virile democracy in our country, we hereby emphatically condemn the action in its entirety and call on the DSS to apologize for the embarrassment it has caused the government and good people of the state.
It is quite unfortunate that the men of the Secret Police who claimed to be acting on intelligence report on the existence of an imaginary cache of fire arms said to be stockpiled in the government house ended up destroying properties, harassing and intimidating staff and visitors in the building for several hours without finding a single weapon or stacks of cash.
This action is unacceptable and call to question the capacity of the current DSS to gather and analyse intelligence effectively, in this challenging period of our nation history.
What baffles us the most is the lack of civility and unprofessional manner they carried out the operation. If for whatever reason there is a need to conduct such search on the government house, which is the seat of power and harbours the office and residence of the governor, who is covered by immunity by virtue of section 308 of our constitution, the most honourable and professional way to go was to intimate him of their intention and seek his cooperation as the Chief Security Officer of the State, rather than engaging in a Gestapo like operation.
The nature of the invasion by the men of the SSS is surprising, shocking, and unbelievable; it makes mockery of our democracy. We cannot fathom this crass effrontery on the privacy of the Chief Security Officer of a Federating unit of our Federation, for no just cause.
This very act by the Lawal Daura-led DSS is one to many, it is gradually demonstrating its penchant for impunity, disregard for the rule of law and professionalism. Of recent the security agency seems to be hasty and uncouth in its approach to issues, this is beginning to give the impression that it is being used as a tool at the disposal of some politicians who employ it to settle scores.
We call on the state security service to be professional, civilized and courteous in the discharge of their responsibility, which was its hallmark in time past.
We use this medium to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call them to order as their conduct is apparently projecting his administration in a bad light before the eyes of Nigerians and the International Community.
We also call on well-meaning groups and individuals to rise up to the occasion and reject such act, to save our nation from drifting back to the abyss.
Signed
COMRADE DANJUMA SARKI
PRESIDENT
USMAN ABDULHAMID
SECRETARY
