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Tag: DSS

  • Libyan slavery: Reps’ panel rues lacking interagency collaboration

    Libyan slavery: Reps’ panel rues lacking interagency collaboration

    The House of Representatives has identified lack of interagency collaboration as largely responsible for the migration of Nigerians abroad through illegal routes.

    According to the lawmakers, the spate of illegal migration through the desert eventually encouraged the slavery incidence recently uncovered in Libya.

    At a meeting between Committees on Foreign Affairs and Human Rights and stakeholders yesterday, the lawmakers said the situation in Libya has made it imperative to find ways of addressing the situation.

    At the meeting were the Nigeria Head of Mission, Libya, Iliyah Fachano as well as officials of Department of State Services (DSS), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    The joint Committee was mandated by the House to unravel circumstances that led to the death of 26 Nigerian girls at the Mediterranean Sea.

    Chairman of the joint Committee, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje said following the disturbing report from Libya, the country must find ways of addressing the situation.

    Saying that lack of inter agency collaboration among the various security agencies in the country was a major reasons for illegal migration of Nigerians to other countries, Elendu-Ukeje noted, “A situation where many of them either end up been killed or enslaved such as the recent revelation in Libya as reported by the Cable News Network (CNN) which has drawn world wide condemnation.”

    Read Also:  144 more Nigerians return from Libya

     Deputy Chaurman of the joint Committee, Edward Pwajok, said security agencies in the country have to come out with a lasting solutions to the menace of human trafficking and illegal migration.

    In his remarks, The Head of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, Fachano said that the Libyan situation was not new, that it had long been in existence.

    The role of some Nigerians who were living in Libya was described as despicable as they were found culpable of being actively involved in selling off their kinsmen.

    They also said being a State with an unstable government contributed largely to the situation

    While the committee continues its findings, it requested more submissions on the situation in Libya by the various agencies.

  • Falana seeks release of persons in illegal custody of DSS

    Falana seeks release of persons in illegal custody of DSS

    Activist lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Department of Secret Service (DSS) to release Nigerians and foreigners being held in illegal custody contrary to the provisions of the constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

    In the alternative, he asked the government to arraign them in the appropriate courts in line with the avowed commitment of the present administration to respect the fundamental rights of the people under the rule of law.

    Falana made the request in a letter to the President dated December 5 and titled: “Request to end illegal arrest and detention of law-abiding citizens and foreigners in Nigeria”.

    He noted that Buhari, during the inauguration of his administration on May 29, 2015, pledged to end the culture of impunity in Nigeria.

    The letter reads:  ”Specifically, Your Excellency promised that ‘as far as the constitution allows me, I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country. For I will not have kept my own trust with the Nigerian people, if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch.”

    “But contrary to Your Excellency’s pledge, the State Security Service otherwise called the Department of State Security (DSS) has engaged in the indiscriminate arrest and detention of many citizens and foreigners living in Nigeria.

    “From the information at our disposal, the DSS has detained several Nigerians and foreigners to settle personal scores. Others have been arrested and detained by the DSS on the suspicion that they have committed criminal offences, a matter that is within the purview of the Police and the anti-graft agencies. To compound the illegality of such arrest and detention, the orders made by competent courts of law directing the DSS to either release or produce detainees in court have been treated with contempt.”

    To buttress his claim, Falana listed some of the people whose fundamental right to personal liberty has been infringed upon by the DSS to include the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Dasuki Sambo, Sheik Ibraheem Elzakzaky and his wife, Hajia Zeinab Elzakzaky and two Indian nationals, Messrs Nitin Verma and Umesh Asudani.

    The senior lawyer noted that Col. Dasuki was arrested and charged with money laundering at the Federal High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015, following his indictment by the Presidential Panel on Procurement of Arms and Ammunition and for illegal possession of arms at the Federal Capital Territory High Court by the DSS.

    He said trial courts admitted the defendant to bail pending trial.

    The lawyer said though Dasuki met the bail conditions, the DSS contemptuously refused to release the defendant from custody while the order of the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) directing the Federal Government to release the defendant from further custody has been ignored by the DSS.

    According to him, Elzakzaky  and wife, Zeinab, who he described as political detainees, were arrested after the military invasion and destruction of their home in Zaria, Kaduna State on December 14, 2015 during which  347 people including three of the children of the couple were killed by the rampaging soldiers.

    On December 2, 2016, Falana said the Abuja judicial division of the Federal High Court presided over by the Honourable Justice G. O. Kolawole declared the arrest and detention of both detainees illegal and unconstitutional.

    He said the judge ordered their release from illegal custody and awarded N50 million damages in favour of both detainees and directed the Federal Government to provide them with a temporary accommodation since their residence was burnt down by “the rampaging troops with the connivance of the Kaduna State government.

    He said the Federal Government has ignored the orders of the court while the DSS has continued to hold the couple in illegal custody.

    Falana said the two Indian nationals, Messrs Nitin Verma and Umesh Asudani, who live and do business in Kano were arrested on October 5, 2017 by the DSS on the basis of allegations of money laundering.

    He said the order made by the Justice Usman Mallam Na’abba of the Kano State High Court for the production of both detainees in court has been ignored to date by the DSS.

    Falana said he highlighted the aforementioned cases to let the government appreciate the extent to which the DSS leadership has embarrassed the Buhari administration by using the security agency to settle personal scores with political opponents.

    Falana urged the President to direct the DSS to desist from further arresting and detaining innocent people and criminal suspects without court orders contrary to the provisions of section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

  • Supreme Court rules on Dasuki’s detention March 2

    Supreme Court rules on Dasuki’s detention March 2

    The Supreme Court on Monday fixed March 2 for judgment on an appeal by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, challenging his alleged indefinite detention.

    The panel of five Justices, led by Dattijo Mohammed, gave the date after counsels to the parties in the case adopted their addresses.

    The ex-NSA had on June 15, 2016 at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, lost his bid to enforce his freedom after securing bails on all the charges against him.

    It is recalled that Dasuki is standing trial for allegedly mismanaging 2.1 billion dollars meant for purchase of arms to fight the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Dasuki’s counsel, Mr Joe Daudu, argued that the decision of the Court of Appeal was erroneous, adding that it was incumbent on the Supreme Court to restore the integrity of all courts.

    Daudu submitted that it was out of place for the court of appeal to scuttle the fundamental rights of a citizen after well-considered decisions of four courts that admitted the applicant to bail.

    He said that his client needed the bail to prepare his defence, adding that he could not have access to security documents while in detention.

    “My Lords, Dasuki is already being treated as a convict, even when none of the charges brought against him has been concluded.

    “We sincerely pray this esteemed court to do the needful by setting aside the decision of the lower court.

    “We also pray the court to momentarily halt the applicant’s trial until the Federal Government obeys the bail order of court,’’ Daudu said.

    Mr Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to EFCC, opposed the appeal, saying that it lacked merit and should be dismissed.

    He said the bail condition granted Dasuki was perfected on December 29, 2015, adding that a warrant of release to that effect was served on the Comptroller of Prisons in Kuje, upon which he was released.

    Jacobs said the Federal Government had not violated his rights, adding that the applicant was only re-arrested by the operatives of the DSS over other fraud allegations.

    He said that it was unfair for the applicant to consider his re-arrest as a disobedience to court’s order on his bail.

    He said that no court bail was targeted at the DSS when granted.

    Read also: Dasuki: Court declines request for arrest warrant against DSS’ DG

    “The EFCC which put Dasuki on trial on criminal charges at the FCT High Court cannot be held responsible for the action of the DSS on the ground that the two agencies are different entities.

    “Besides, My Lords, the appeal court has said there was no existing order against the re-arrest of Dasuki.

    “Suffice to say that there cannot be a disobedience to a non-existing court order.

    “We pray the apex court to affirm the decision of the lower court which ordered the continuation of the applicant’s trial even while he remains in detention,’’ he said.

    Dasuki had approached Supreme Court praying it to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal which exonerated EFCC from his re-arrest shortly after he perfected his bail conditions.

    He further asked the court to void the ruling of the Federal High Court.

    The trial court had held that DSS and EFCC were distinct agents of the Federal Government, which is the complainant in the charges against the applicant.

    Dasuki had alleged that such pronouncement had given the two agents of government handling the trial to act at variance and against justice.

    NAN

  • Navy urges DSS to hunt sea pirate network in Rivers

    Navy urges DSS to hunt sea pirate network in Rivers

    The Nigerian Navy has called on the Department of State Security ( DSS ) to go after the sponsors of notorious sea pirate network believed to be terrorising costal waterways in Rivers and environs.

    Capt. Victor Choji, the Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship ( NNS ) Pathfinder, Port Harcourt made the call when he handed over five suspected sea pirates to DSS operatives on Wednesday.

    He said aside piracy, the suspects allegedly carried out several kidnappings and robbed vessels as well as innocent commuters and their valuables in the maritime domain of Rivers.

    “The suspects were arrested at various times between October 31, and November 12, following credible intelligence on their involvement in armed robbery at sea, kidnapping and piracy.

    “The suspects have availed us with sufficient information to the extent of their illegal activities within the maritime space of Rivers state.

    “So, we are handing them over to the DSS, so that they can unravel the extent of this network and to also uncover their collaborators and sponsors.

    “We believe that if this is done, then we can nip it (crime) in the bud once and for all, thus bringing peace within the maritime space of Rivers state,” he said.

    Read also: Navy to launch 20 new patrol boats in Delta-Ag.Director

    Choji said the navy had observed that whenever troops destroy illegal refineries and bunkering sites, perpetrators often times mutate to piracy, kidnapping and sea robbery.

    He said the trend was particularly worrisome to the navy but assured that strategic measures had been put in place to tackle the ugly development.

    According to him, the navy has succeeded in reducing illegal bunkering and oil theft to its barest minimum, in collaboration with other security agencies in the state.

    “But, what we are seeing now is actually a mutation of this other crimes to kidnapping and piracy and the likes.

    “However, we have re-strategised, and as such confident that within the shortest times that these crimes at sea would be brought to the barest minimum as well.

    “This will ensure that we have safety and security within the maritime environment for lawful activities to take place,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • EFCC vs DSS

    •President Buhari should call the erring security men to order to avert anarchy

    The lingering disagreement between operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) almost boiled over a few days ago. With the two arms-bearing state institutions squaring up to each other, as if in a Hobbesian state, pulling of the trigger by any of the feuding parties could have led to a shoot-out. This is an aberration, and we urge the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, to stem this descent into anarchy, with the potential of creating security crisis of both murderous and constitutional proportions.

    But what triggered the embarrassing acts of law enforcement agencies acting as outlaws? As reported in the media, the EFCC had invited the former head of DSS from 2010 to 2015, Ita Ekpeyong, to explain his role in the alleged arms scandal involving the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki; and also the recently sacked former head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, as part of investigation of the N13 billion found in a private apartment in Lagos. Following their refusal to honour the invitation, EFCC officials, armed with a warrant of arrest went to the residences of the two officials at numbers 21 and 46, Nasir Street, Asokoro, Abuja, to arrest them.

    The NIA and DSS personnel guarding the retired and sacked ex-officials mobilised and resisted their arrest. Subsequently, a national daily quoted an unconfirmed source in DSS as saying that by an unnamed sundry legislation, security agencies, including the DSS and NIA have a sort of immunity from investigation by any other agency or person, except the President. They cited the 1999 National Security Agencies (NSA) Decree, (now deemed an act of the National Assembly) which provides that the NIA and DSS should be within the purview of the President and National Security Council and National Defence Council, as their reason for confronting the EFCC, and resisting the arrest of their ex-officials.

    We are miffed by this strange interpretation of the National Security Agencies Act, by persons who have assumed the duties of a court. Assuming the law provides Messrs Ekpeyong and Oke the immunity claimed by their former colleagues, would it not be the responsibility of the courts under section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, to so find, if they file an application against the EFCC and the warrant of arrest issued? Does it lie with individuals or their respective institutions to interpret the provisions of the law, as they deem fit? If the type of self-help by the NIA and DSS is allowed to fester, will that not breed anarchy?

    Under this regime, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), the co-ordinator of the NSA Act, a  former Chief of Defence Staff, former chiefs of army, navy and air force, and significant number of retired and serving generals had been arrested, detained and charged to court, over allegations of fraudulent acts done while in service. As expected in a society governed by law, these men willingly submitted to the EFCC and the jurisdiction of the courts, which have the exclusive powers to determine their fate. Are those security chiefs who committed criminal offences by resisting lawful arrests, inferring that these officials should have mobilised their subordinates to resist arrest, like the DSS and NIA officials?

    The President and Commander-in-Chief, who is the chief custodian of our constitutional order should compel the ex-chiefs of NIA and DSS to submit to the due process of law; and the security men who used the arms bought by taxpayers to protect our constitution, to instead ride roughshod over it, should answer for their unlawful conducts.

    The President should appreciate the dangerous signals, and act immediately.

     

  • Maina was not on government payroll- Adeosun

    Maina was not on government payroll- Adeosun

    …Maina’s lawyer insists on out of court settlement

     

    The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the Accountant General of the Federation (AoGF), Ahmed Idris said Maina was not on the payroll of the Federal Government.

    The two said records on the two payment platforms used by the government for its workers have been scrutinised and Maina was found to have been paid last in February 2013.

    “We used two platforms for salaries and no trace of payment to Maina. His last payment was in February 2013.

    “We don’t have his biodata on our payroll anymore and made no payment to him. He is also not a staff on Finance Ministry,” Adeosun said

    The Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ), Mohammed Babandede said since Maina was stopped at Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in September 2013, he has not been seen again using Nigerian ports.

    He also disclosed that Maina has dual citizenship with three passports, valid standard Nigerian passport that expires in 2018, United States’ (US) that expires in 2022 and an official passport that has expired.

    He said Maina was placed on NIS stop list which was why he was stopped in 2013 but that in December 2015, the EFCC directed he be removed from stop list.

    “According to official documents he has not been travelling since 2013,” he said.

    Acting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Idris Magu denied the letter vacating the stop order, saying he has never seen it in his life, just as he has never met Maina before.

    He said the source of the letter will be investigated because he assumed office in November 2015 while the stop order vacation letter was written in December same year.

    He told the Committee that investigation of pension began in 2010 but that his Commission had no collaboration with the Maina’s team, except for a biometric exercise.

    “He did not hand over a single recovered asset to EFCC, and if there is no asset he handed over to, how could there be assets to share?

    He said: “I challenge him or anyone to prove that we shared recovered assets. Those claiming such should come forward to prove it.

    “All recovered assets at EFCC are products of our independent investigations and they were Police pension and HoCSF.

    “From Police pension eight people and associated companies were investigation while HoSC has five and associated companies investigated.

    “All assets recovered from HoCSF on interim forfeiture have been handed over while some are used as offices.

    “It is only the asset of one Yusuf that has been convicted that’s been permanently forfeited and they are 32 in number.

    “All proceeds on the forfeited assets as rents are duly documented

    “Maina’s assets that we recovered were seven in Kaduna, five in Abuja- two in Kado, two in Life camp and a sprawling one in Jabi”.

    He said EFCC is investigating four companies used by Maina with six bank accounts that have N2.7b from 2008 to 2013.

    According to him, one of Maina’s son account that has
    N1.5b turnover within a year was also uncovered.

    He said Maina used cash converted to forex exchange for transactions most of the time, adding that he paid $2m cash for the Jabi house.

    He said having declared Maina wanted, the Interpol has been alerted for his arrest.

    The Director General ( DG ) of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mamman Daura said he was notified of the Dubai meeting between Maina and the AGF with the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) , Babagana Monguno in attendance.

    He however heaped the blame of the Maina saga on lack of interagency collaboration and information sharing.

    However, when Chairman of the Committee was set to round up the hearing, Maina’s lawyer, Sani Katu protested that he has been denied fair hearing.

    “We must be heard, that is what they did to us in the Senate, they boxed us into a corner, we must be heard,” he shouted.

    Madaki said no one would be denied to speak, saying the Committee would not allow rented crowd to disrupt it’s activities.

    Katu then reiterated the fact that Miana was reinstated by the Court judgement that vacated his arrest order, that the status quo should remain.

    He insisted that Maina is still on the payroll of the government going by the court pronouncement and should be be paid his emoluments.

    He said Maina should not have been dismissed from service going by the pronouncement of the court

    He also said out of court settlement was reached by the two parties where it was agreed that Maina would be reinstated while he will drop the N2.1b claim he asked for in the suit.

    He said:”The Court reinstated him which means he should revert to his status and his emoluments paid to him

    “There is a judgment from the Federal High Court that sets aside the Warrant of Arrest, that sets aside the warrant of arrest which led to his query and subsequent dismissal.

    “So our position that having set aside all those queries and dismissal, it means Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina should revert back to his earlier status and what is that earlier status?

    “The status is that, before he was dismissed, he was a civil servant and being a civil servant, the question can as well be raised if he is entitled to salary and the answer is yes, that as a federal civil servant, he entitled to his salary.

    “At one point, efforts were made to calculate his salaries from March 2013 till date, perhaps if not for what has happened now, they would have paid him salary in October.

    “So, we are talking on the premise of the dictates of the law and the law is made up facts and the facts are contained in the judgement of the Federal High Court,” he said.

    While adjourning the hearing indefinitely (sine die), Madaki warned that it was the duty of the House to prevent impunity in government.

  • DSS, EFCC in intractable tussle

    INTER-agency wars and mutual suspicion between establishments whose functions overlap are fairly commonplace in many parts of the world. But the brutal, shameless and continuing war between the Nigerian Department of State Service (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) really takes the biscuit! The latest flare-up concerns the gleeful attempt by the EFCC to arrest the former Directors-General of the intelligence services, Ita Ekpeyong of the DSS and Ayo Oke of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA). Arresting both operatives, it was clear to the secret service, would confer some public relations advantages on the EFCC, an agency with which both intelligence agencies have locked horns in an intractable war. The war has been going on since the beginning of the Buhari presidency, flaring up occasionally as events, temper, mood and perhaps, too, whims dictate. The inter-agency wars have even sometimes morphed into intra-agency battles, as the shameful struggle between escort policemen in Port Harcourt indicated a few weeks ago.

    The president has a duty to put a stop to the nonsense. The finances of the secret services can be probed as the situation demands, whether openly or secretly, but it should not be by another agency in order to avoid feelings of triumphalism or the creation of a super agency. The Buhari presidency can’t tell Nigerians it doesn’t appreciate the sentiments pervading the secret services and the military and paramilitary services. As fearsome and objectionable as the operations of the secret services are, the point is not to shield them, but to deal with them in a way that does not exacerbate rivalries and create more problems than are being solved.

  • Group condemns EFCC, DSS face-off

    Group condemns EFCC, DSS face-off

    A group, Progressive Solidarity Forum (PSF), has condemned the face-off between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), over the EFCC’s bid to arrest former Director General of the DSS, Ita Ekpeyong, and former head of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), AyÍ Oke.

    In a press statement signed by the PSF National Director, Media, Publicity and Information, Mrs. Rekiya Onaivo Sanni, the group condemned the action of the of the DSS, saying, “No one is above the law.”

    While describing the action of DSS officials as illegal, PSF said, “It is unpatriotic for anyone to stall the course of justice. Every Nigerians must see these conspiracies as morally reprehensible.”

    The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify his anti-corruption war no matter whose ox is gored.

    PSF called on the president to ensure that Messrs. Oke and Ikpeyong are successfully invited by the EFCC as a matter of urgency. ”We believe that Nigeria stands a good chance to turn the fortune of her citizens around by ensuring that the era of impunity at reckless abandon and arrogance of power is completely abolished,” the group said.

  • Senate condemns DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    Senate condemns DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    The Senate yesterday came hard on the Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) following the clash of operatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

    It described as “an unwarranted embarrassment to the country” the reported clash of the sister securities agencies in an attempt to effect the arrest of a former Director General of DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong in his Maitama Abuja home.

    The lawmakers said the same unhealthy scenario played out at the residence of former Director General of NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke when EFCC operatives attempted to arrest him for questioning.

    After bashing the three agencies for unnecessary inter agency rivalry, the lawmakers resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances that led to “the embarrassing situation and national disaster.”

    The resolution followed a point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West.)

    Melaye told the Senate that the scene created by the security operatives embarrassed the country before the international community.

    Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who seconded the motion lamented that it appeared that nobody was in charge in the country.

    Olujimi urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to the occasion and take charge by calling heads of security agencies to order.

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan countered Olujimi’s submission.

    Lawan said there was no doubt that President Buhari is fully in charge.

    Lawan said: “It is one rare motion brought by Senator Dino Melaye. I support that position. But let me say this that President Muhamadu Buhari is in full control of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “My opinion about what happened is that, could it be that EFCC did not get the right kind of document to arrest those people? If they did, then the security agents that prevented them are wrong. Only the investigation would reveal this.

    “This Senate is the highest lawmaking body in Nigeria. I would urge us to calm down especially the opposition, as it appears they are neither here nor there. Let there be an investigation before we apportion any blame.”

  • Senate probes DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    Senate probes DSS, EFCC, NIA clashes

    The Senate on Wednesday, came hard on the Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over the near fisticuffs exhibited by their operatives on Tuesday.

    The upper chamber described as “an unwarranted embarrassment to the country” the reported clash of the sister securities agencies in an attempt to effect the arrest of a former Director General of DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong in his Maitama Abuja home.

    The lawmakers said that the same unhealthy scenario played in the residence of former Director General of NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke when EFCC operatives attempted to arrest the former NIA boss for questioning.

    After bashing the three agencies for unnecessary inter agency rivalry, the lawmakers resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances led to “the embarrassing situation and national disaster.”

    The resolution followed a point of Order raised by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West.)

    Melaye drew the attention of the Senate to the reported standoff between the EFCC and DSS operatives on Tuesday over attempts by the later to arrest Ekpeyong.

    He said that the same war-like scenario was repeated in the residence of former NIA DG, Oke, when EFCC operatives were resisted by NIA operatives from arresting the sacked DG.

    Melaye told the Senate that the scene created by the security operatives embarrassed the country before the international community.

    The Kogi West senator noted that if nothing was done to nip such problem in the bud, it could degenerate into a national disaster.

    Melaye said: “The EFCC went to the residence of the former Director General of the DSS, Ita Ekpeyong to effect an arrest. The DSS stopped the EFCC from arresting him. That created an environmental brouhaha. The whole environment and neighbours were stopped from lawfully gaining entrance into their homes because of this confusion.

    “Same Tuesday, the EFCC wanted to arrest the former Director-General of NIA, Mr. Oke. Also, the officers of the Nigeria Intelligence agency stopped that arrest.

    “We are not here to say who is to blame. We have been embarrassed before the international community. That two sister agencies will engage in a fisticuffs is a national embarrassment. Arrest and stoppage of arrests is bad. Mr. President, this is a recipe for national disaster.”

    Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who seconded the motion lamented that it appeared that nobody was in charge in the country.

    Olujimi urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rise to the occasion and take charge by calling heads of security agencies to order.

    She said, “Right now, we have a situation whereby nobody is in charge of anything and we cannot honestly blame anyone for what is happening. The truth is that you cannot go to the house of a security agent, a man who had kept the secrets of Nigeria for so long and just try to arrest him like a chicken.

    “There has to be someone that we can hold responsible when two brothers are fighting. The person that is supposed to be held responsible has not done any thing, he is not doing his work. This is the first time we will see gross irresponsibility in government whereby there is no arbiter.

    “No one to come in between two agencies that belong to only one person. The two agencies report to one person, the Presidency and now we find them fighting on the pages of the newspapers. Its a shame. We are calling on the President. He has to sit up. He should be up and doing. Call these people to order.

    “You will remember that we rejected Mr. Magu and up till today, nothing has been said about it. Something has to be done. The Presidency has to be called to order. Nobody is in charge of this government. Nobody is in charge and somebody needs to be in charge.”

    The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan countered Olujimi’s submission.

    Lawan who said that there was no doubt that President Buhari is fully in charge added that even when President Buhari was out of the country on medical ground, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, was also fully in charge.

    Lawan said: “It is one rare motion brought by Senator Dino Melaye. I support that position. But let me say this that President Muhamadu Buhari is in full control of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Even when Mr. President was away to attend to his health, the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was in full control. The statement by our colleague is unacceptable.

    “My opinion about what happened is that, could it be that EFCC did not get the right kind of document to arrest those people? If they did, then the security agents that prevented them are wrong. Only the investigation would reveal this.

    “This Senate is the highest lawmaking body in Nigeria. I would urge us to calm down especially the opposition, as it appears they are neither here nor there. Let there be an investigation before we apportion any blame.”