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Tag: DSS

  • ‘I was taken out of my cell around midnight and blindfolded’

    ‘I was taken out of my cell around midnight and blindfolded’

    Bayelsa State youth activist, Comrade Collins Trueman Opumie, has told the State High Court in Yenagoa of his near death experience in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    Opumie said his woes arose from his illegal arrest on August 2, 2016 and was detained for two years based on the complaints filed by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

    He narrated his ordeal while answering questions during the continuation of cross examination in the suit numbered YHC/324/2022 against the NAOC and the DSS.

    Opumie, while responding to the counsel for the 1st set of defendants (the DSS), insisted that the allegations as contained in the petition to the Bayelsa State Police Command and the charges filed before the Magistrates’ Court in Abuja were confirmation to the involvement of the DSS and the NAOC in his travails.

    He faulted the claim of the lead counsel for the DSS, C.S. Eze Esq, that the DSS had no role to play in his alleged illegal arrest and detention, claiming that “the DSS played a vital role. If they did not play any role, I shouldn’t have been in the underground cell belonging to the DSS.

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    “I was also taken out of my cell around midnight and blindfolded. They took me to the cemetery along Azikoro road. I was taken to a freshly dug grave and was asked to accept the trumped up charge that I wanted to bomb Agip facilities or I die and be buried there. But I refused. A telephone was handed over to me and I spoke with one lawyer, Dennis, of the Agip.”

    Opumie also faulted the claim that he was making up fairy tales against the DSS for financial gains and insisted that the NAOC reported him to the police and the DSS, saying that the Agip painted him in bad light before the security agencies leading to his illegal arrest and detention.

    The presiding Judge, Justice Ebiyon Duke Charlie, after the conclusion of cross examination from the two sets of defendants, the DSS and NAOC, adjourned the suit until January 19, 2024.

  • DSS officials, others clash in Edo hospital, two injured

    DSS officials, others clash in Edo hospital, two injured

    There was a confrontation between members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday, December 4, at the Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin.

    The altercation purportedly started when DSS officials brought in one of their men who had collapsed during a meeting in their office, and the medical staff reacted in an allegedly unprofessional manner.

    It was gathered that calm was only restored with the help of the Chief Security Officer of Government House and the police, who were called from the Oba Market Police Station.

    At the end of the chaos, several people, including private security guards and female NSCDC personnel were injured.

    An official of the DSS said: “We were in a meeting when the person we brought to the hospital slumped, and he was rushed to our health facility to check his pulse. We then rushed him to the Edo Specialist Hospital, which is the closest to our office, but the reception we got there was poor.

    “It was our people that had to bring our colleague down from the vehicle. When you go to the hospital, courtesy demands that you bring the patient down and attend to him or her; at least show commitment, but right in the car, they said they cannot carry him and we have to carry him down ourselves.”

    However, when contacted, Dr. David Odiko, the Medical Director of the hospital, stated that although the DSS staff refused to acknowledge the patient’s death, the attending physician had swiftly attended to him.

    Read Also: Don’t politicise DSS, Olowu warns mischief makers

    He said: “I was not in the hospital when the incident happened because I was in the court for a case. It was from there that they called me, and when I got to the hospital, they had left, but I met policemen on the ground.

    “They brought him as an emergency case. He was said to have slumped, and the doctor on duty went to check, and he said he met the guy lying on the seat of the car and that the patient wasn’t breathing.

    “He couldn’t see the chest and abdomen moving, then he proceeded to check if there was still a pulse and heartbeat which were also absent. He said he still proceeded to do CPR, but there was no response.

    “The diagnosis the doctor made was that he was brought in dead, and they said they were not going to take that, and they moved him into our facility and dropped him on the floor. I was told that another group of personnel injured the Civil Defence personnel that was on duty on her head.”

  • No subsidy grant released to DSS — Group

    No subsidy grant released to DSS — Group

     A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Coalition for Peace in Nigeria (COPIN), said there was no subsidy grant released for personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    The group said this in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Mr Emeka Akwuobi on Monday in Abuja.

    Akwuobi said the clarification followed false and malicious publications by one Jackson Ude on his X (Twitter) handle @jacksonpnb, against the person and office of the DSS Director-General, Alhaji Yusuf Bichi.

    He said Ude’s claim that the DSS boss had looted subsidy grant meant for personnel of the service was not true and urged the public to disregard it.

    The COPIN national coordinator called on Ude to come clean on his allegations against Bichi.

    He said that the coalition had investigated the claim and found it to be false.

    Read Also: Don’t politicise DSS, Olowu warns mischief makers

    He therefore, called on relevant security agencies to arrest and prosecute Ude over his defamatory outing against the person of the DSS boss

    Akwuobi said COPIN had kept Bichi on its evaluation radar since his recall from retirement in 2018, and could attest to his impeccable integrity and dedication to welfare of staff.

    According to him, our regular evaluation reports of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in relation to performance, have continued to put the DSS at the top of the radar.

    “In his latest outing, our team found that Ude accused the DSS boss of alleged looting of grants meant for staff of the Service.

    “Upon seeing his post on X, we commissioned our crack team to unravel the truth or otherwise of the allegation of impropriety against the leadership of the DSS.

    “Our findings will shock members of the public, no ‘subsidy grant in whatever description has been released for personnel of the DSS,” he said.

    He called on Nigerians to identify and shame those that seek to pull down hard working and patriotic leaders in the country.
    (NAN)

  • Don’t politicise DSS, Olowu warns mischief makers

    Don’t politicise DSS, Olowu warns mischief makers

    Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Hameed Adekunle Oyelude Makama, CON, Tegbosun III, has warned mischief makers to steer away from the activities of the Department of State Services (DSS) through unfounded allegations and narratives capable of affecting the morals of officers and rank and file of the service.

    Olowu, in a statement issued on Sunday, December 3, said the news making the rounds that the director general of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, has siphoned money meant for the payment of the N35,000 wage award approved by President Bola Tinubu, is not only unfounded but ridiculous.

    He said: “It is a known fact that the DSS’s salary and allowances are special and cannot be fully categorised as civil servants because the services are essential.

    “It’s also clear that the purveyors of the fake news intend to cause disaffection between the officers and the DG.”

    Olowu added that it is the prerogative of the president to choose who he wants to work with as far as the DSS DG position is concerned according to his wishes, saying that the security of the country should be paramount now more than ever.

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    He, however, advised that this is the time for all and sundry to demonstrate patriotism so that the country can overcome the economic challenges, noting that those behind the evil scheme should desist forthwith.

    The statement read: “With the little we know about the service, “Bichi” does not take the welfare packages of officers and personnel for granted, that’s why many operatives and stakeholders wish President Tinubu’s continuous retention of the DG.

    “The fake narrative is dead on arrival because the Service has been enjoying a series of packages even before President Tinubu came on board.

    “We have strong confidence in the pedigree of DG Yusufu Magaji Bichi, and the morale of the service personnel and officers is as high as their patriotic zeal.

    “But no doubt the morale of those seeking to be DG DSS” might have been low because they thought the President could be stampeded into action. God has time for everything.”

  • DSS denies DG Bichi looted staff grant

    DSS denies DG Bichi looted staff grant

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has debunked accusations of looting staff subsidy grants levelled against its Director General, Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, by one Jackson Ude

    Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communication, Department of State Services National Headquarters, Abuja, Dr. Peter Afunanya, debunked the accusations in a statement yesterday.

    Afunanya said Ude was being mischievous and has continued to smear the image of Mr. Bichi as well as present him as corrupt, while the facts at the DSS prove otherwise.

    The statement was titled, ‘Jackson Ude is at it again: DSS dismisses his false accusation’

    It reads, “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to some spurious publications by one Jackson Ude on his Twitter handle @jacksonpnb, against the person and office of the DGSS, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, CFR, fwc.

    “The Service hereby states that the allegations are entirely false. It wishes to clarify that neither the DG nor anyone acting on his directive has looted staff subsidy grants. No such grant has been made available to the Service and once that is allocated, staff will, as usual, receive what is due them. Mr Bichi has, in all ramifications, evidently catered for the welfare of active and retired personnel. This is common knowledge and can be verified by Ude.

    Read Also: DSS denies DG Bichi looted staff grant

    “Similarly, the so-called ‘goodbye allowance’ which Ude accused the DG of granting himself is non-existent. It is only the imagination of the writer and his sponsors. But assuming the DG is paid any severance package at the end of his tenure, how is that unethical and outside the established public service rule?

    “While Ude is at his mischief once again and has continued to smear the image of Mr Bichi as well as present him as corrupt, facts at the DSS show otherwise. Recalled from retirement in 2018 and appointed the DGSS, Bichi is seen as spartan, accountable, transparent and indeed, incorruptible. He has remained resolute in running the Service and has shown uncommon commitment to the management of its affairs. His top priorities are staff welfare and the judicious application of human and material resources. Any misleading narratives to the contrary are therefore unacceptable.

    “Notably, the Service is aware of the desperation and antics of Ude and his other hirelings to associate it with unnecessary controversies either during the 2023 Presidential election or the subsequent litigations following it. The recent campaign of calumny is one of such. But as always, the DGSS is unperturbed. The Service under him will continue to chart a professional course aimed at the internal security of the country.

    “In view of the foregoing, the public is urged to disregard the falsehood being peddled by this known fake news merchant whose only stock in trade is to misinform as well as use his platforms to create division and violence. Meanwhile, the DGSS will take appropriate legal steps to seek redress.”

  • DSS denies DG Bichi looted staff grant

    DSS denies DG Bichi looted staff grant

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has debunked accusations of looting staff subsidy grant levelled against its Director General, Alhaji Yusuf Bichi, by one Jackson Ude 

    Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communication, Department of State Services National Headquarters, Abuja, Dr Peter Afunanya, debunked the accusations in a statement on Saturday.

    Afunanya said Ude was being mischievous and has continued to smear the image of Bichi as well as present him as corrupt while facts at the DSS prove otherwise.

    The statement was titled JACKSON UDE IS AT IT AGAIN: DSS DISMISSES HIS FALSE ACCUSATIONS 

    It reads: “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to some spurious publications by one Jackson Ude on his twitter handle @jacksonpnb, against the person and office of the DGSS, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, CFR, fwc. 

    “The Service hereby states that the allegations are entirely false. It wishes to clarify that neither the DG nor anyone acting on his directive has looted staff subsidy grant. No such grant has been made available to the Service and once that is allocated, staff will, as usual, receive what is due them. Mr Bichi has, in all ramifications, evidently catered for the welfare of active and retired personnel. This is common knowledge and can be verified by Ude. 

    “Similarly, the so called ‘goodbye allowance’ which Ude accused the DG of granting himself is non-existent. It is only an imagination of the writer and his sponsors. But assuming the DG is paid any severance package at the end of his tenure, how is that unethical and outside established public service rule? 

    Read Also: Ex-DSS officer retracts allegation of brutalisation against ex-NIMASA DG

    “While Ude is at his mischief once again and has continued to smear the image of Mr Bichi as well as present him as corrupt, facts at the DSS show otherwise. Recalled from retirement in 2018 and appointed the DGSS, Bichi is seen as spartan, accountable, transparent and indeed, incorruptible. He has remained resolute in running the Service and shown uncommon commitment in the management of its affairs. His top priorities are staff welfare and judicious application of human and material resources. Any misleading narratives to the contrary are therefore unacceptable. 

    “Notably, the Service is aware of the desperation and antics of Ude and his other hirelings to associate it with unnecessary controversies either during the 2023 Presidential election or the subsequent litigations following it. The recent campaign of calumny is one of such. But as always, the DGSS is unperturbed. The Service under him will continue to chart a professional course aimed at internal security of the country.

    “In view of the foregoing, the public is urged to disregard the falsehood being peddled by this known fake news merchant whose only stock in trade is to misinform as well as use his platforms to create division and violence. Meanwhile, the DGSS will take appropriate legal steps to seek redress.”

  • Ex-DSS officer retracts allegation of brutalisation against ex-NIMASA DG

    Ex-DSS officer retracts allegation of brutalisation against ex-NIMASA DG

    A retired officer of the Department of State Security (DSS), Ojobokeme Kelly, has retracted his allegation of brutalisation against a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpogbolokemi.

    In a statement, the former DSS officer appealed to the members of the public to disregard the allegation, adding that he had withdrawn the suit FHC/YNG/159/2023 he instituted against the erstwhile NIMASA following an amicable resolution of the matter.

    He said: “I call the attention of the public to the publication I made against former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi on the October 1st, 2023, wherein I alleged that I was tortured and brutalized by the Nigeria Police in Yenagoa on the instruction of Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.

    Read Also: DSS cautions against inflammatory statements

    “I also said that the case was before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa in Suit No. FHC/YNG/159/2023 (Mr. Ojobokeme Kelly V the Inspector General of Police & 5 ors). I want the public to take note that the above case has been amicably resolved.

    “I consequently retract the above-referred publication and the status of the publication, as it stands, is that it never existed at all. The public is hereby urged to abandon every negative impression it may have had against Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi on account of the retracted publication.”

  • DSS cautions against inflammatory statements

    DSS cautions against inflammatory statements

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has cautioned against  inflammatory statements by persons of influence.

    This was as the Service called for peace during the elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.

    Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications DSS National Headquarters, Abuja, Dr Peter Afunanya, made this  known in a statement yesterday.

    He said the Service has observed rising trends and patterns of incendiary comments by some personalities of influence and representatives of non-governmental entities within and outside the country. 

    Such statements, he said, run against public peace and harmony.

     Afunanya said resorting to acerbic pronouncements by certain persons will not only heat-up the polity but set the ground for deep-seated animosities and divisions among the populace. 

    He also said it serves the country no good if its own citizens, whether at home or abroad, demarket or subvert her through misleading and false narratives.

    Read Also: Army, DSS, avert planned Boko Haram attack in Kano

    The DSS warned that individuals or groups that may decide to engage in illegitimate acts or inimical conducts to public order will be decisively dealt with as dictated by the law.

    The Service said with the elections and the attendant contentions legally over, it is expected that everyone should forge ahead in nation building without rancour or acrimony. 

    This, Afunanya said, is against the backdrop that reckless rhetorics have the capacity to lead to social unrest and instability, which can put the country’s well-being and the general safety of citizens at risk.

     Part of the statement reads: “Similarly, the Service urges key players and their supporters in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States to conform to the rules of engagement and specifically the electoral law during the 11th November, 2023 gubernatorial elections in the areas. The aim is to avert situations likely to undermine the processes. So far, the Service has substantially liaised with INEC, sister security agencies and relevant NGOs to ensure hitch free exercises in the affected States.

  • Court convicts vandals who killed seven DSS operatives of murder

    Court convicts vandals who killed seven DSS operatives of murder

    Justice Ramon Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court yesterday convicted two pipeline vandals, Clement Ododomu and Tiwei Monday of murder.

    The convicts were found guilty of conspiracy and murder of seven officers of the Department of State Security (DSS), at Ishawo Creek in Ikorodu area on September 14, 2015.

    However, the trial judge has deferred sentencing of the convicts till November 14 after hearing of the allocutus plea of the convicts.

    The court found the first defendant, Ododomu, guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, murder, possession of firearms and felony.

    While Monday, who is the second defendant, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and felony.

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    The State government had alleged that on September 14, 2015, the Lagos State Command of DSS received a distress report from one Mr. Nwosu from The Sun Newspaper about the kidnap of his wife at their residence.

    The command swiftly dispatched a nine-man team to carry out a surveillance operation to ascertain the location of the kidnappers who were negotiating for a ransom.

    The officers were ambushed, but the suspects were arrested following a distress text message sent by Mr. Martins Ajayi to the station, that they had been ambushed by vandals and their weapons seized.

    Afterwards, the two suspects were arrested and arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on murder and possession of firearms contrary to Section 223 and 298 (3) of the Criminal Law, Cap. C. A Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.

    They pleaded not guilty to all the counts charge and the prosecution began the trial.

    Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Oshodi said the prosecution has proved the charges of murder against them beyond reasonable doubt and subsequently convicted them.

    Following the pronouncement of the judge,  the defence counsel,  Olusegun Akande, in his allocators prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his clients.

    The prosecutor and Director of Public Prosecution (DPP),  however, urged the court to convict them as prescribed by the sections under which they were charged.

  • DSS arrests two women with 1,000 rounds of ammunition

    DSS arrests two women with 1,000 rounds of ammunition

    Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have been said to have arrested two women suspected to be supplying bandits with arms and ammunitions in Kaduna, Niger and environs.

    The suspects identified as Rashida Umar and Rukaiya ladan, were arrested in Fadan-Karshe, Sanga Local Government Area in the Southern part of Kaduna.

    The Nation gathered that, the DSS operatives nabbed the two women who were suspected to be conveying the ammunitions to bandits in Kontagora Town of Niger State.

    A security source told our correspondent that, the suspects were apprehended with 1,000 live rounds of AK-47 ammunition.

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    Arrest of the two suspects was coming barely five day after troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) uncovered a gun manufacturing factory in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government in Southern Kaduna.

    The discovery followed a week-long intelligence operation that finally led to the capture of a wanted gunrunner Napoleon John who has been on the wanted list of OPSH. 

    The suspect who confessed to the crime led troops to a concealed factory where arms of different calibre were sold by another miscreant identified as Monday Dunia, who confessed to having been in the business for more than five years fuelling the crisis in Southern Kaduna and neighbouring Plateau State. 

    A thorough search of the factory led to the recovery of 22 different weapons including 7 pistols, 2 locally fabricated AK 47 rifles, 2 military grade AK 47 rifles and 9 revolvers.