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Tag: DSS

  • Kachikwu’s tales and DSS shadow-boxing

    Amidst gloomy stories such as ‘$480b stolen from Nigeria between 1960-2004’, (Chatham House report); ‘$182b lost through illicit financial flows between 2005-2014’, and other stories of billions allegedly traced to former chieftains of NNPC or abandoned at airports or Bureau de Change, the tales about NNPC’s giant strides and its achievements by Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources ought to have come as some sort of relief to Nigerians. Speaking as a guest on a BBC Hard Talk in London only this Monday, the minister had assured Nigerians of self-sufficiency in the local refining of petroleum products by 2019. The refineries that were down before they came on stream two years ago, according to him ‘now produce about seven million litres a day’. Besides removing and renegotiating cash call deficit of over $6bn and moving NNPC into a profit-making organization for the first time in our nation’s history, he also announced the ‘signing of an agreement with the international oil giant, Agip, for the firm to build a refinery in Nigeria’.

    Undoubtedly, Kachikwu and the Buhari administration deserve commendation for the successes he claimed they have chalked up in the last two years. Unfortunately this however has been marred by the news of the arrest of Ifeanyi Uba, the chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Limited by DSS over an alleged theft of N11b worth of fuel deposited in his depot by NNPC. For many Nigerians, the development was enough evidence that the battle of NNPC often regarded as the most corrupt institution in Nigeria is yet to be won in spite of Kachikwu’s celebration.

    A statement by the spokesman for the DSS, Tony Opuiyo, claimed the arrest of Ubah was sequel to his alleged engagement in acts of economic sabotage which include stealing, diversion and illegal sale of petroleum products stored in his tank farm by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The DSS spokesman also affirmed that “it has been established that the products stolen amount to over N11bn. However, an unnamed  senior official ‘s of Ubah’s Capital Oil and Gas Ltd was reported to have said  the DSS was being economical with the truth as to the actual transactions between Ubah’s company and NNPC. Unfortunately with the baleful legacies of NNPC, it is doubtful if many Nigerians will swallow the DSS story that Ubah “stole and diverted petroleum products stored by the NNPC in his depots” without the collusion of NNPC officials, if that ever happened.

    But beyond this, what will be of concern to many Nigerians is the prospect that Kachikwu’s advertised successes  and others that will be chalked up  before 2019, may have no effect on the lives of ordinary Nigerians  if the nation is still going to be held hostage by tank farm owners after Buhari’s four years government of change. Nigerians have not forgotten that owners of tank-farms and their friends, the tanker owners were linked to the vandalisation of the over 400 kilometres of pipeline put in place by Obasanjo before he left office in 1979. If NNPC is unable to maintain the massive tank farms government built in Ikorodu or build new ones, undertakings that are much easier to accomplish than managing refineries, Kachikwu’s tales of giants stride made in local refining of petroleum products are not likely going to amuse Nigerians.

    Nigerians also remember what was in place when Obasanjo was sworn in as president in 1999. There was the NNPC Act 1977 which saddled the Minister of Petroleum with the responsibilities of “regulating and fixing petroleum product prices and supervising the MPR/DPR that has sole regulatory authority over technical standards, refining, and logistics in the sector”. There was also  the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, (PPMC) which was set up in 1988 by his predecessor to “profitably and efficiently market refined petroleum products in the domestic as well as export markets, especially in the ECOWAS sub-region, provide marine services and also maintain uninterrupted movement of refined petroleum products from the local refineries.” Then following the swearing in of Obasanjo, artificial fuel queues sprang up overnight in our filling stations. Lawmakers who publicly complained they needed to recoup the expenses incurred in running for elections by selling their personal houses outwitted Obasanjo who was stampeded to set up the PPPRA through a bill, debated and passed within three months. Its mandate which was not markedly different from those of the two existing Acts was to “liberalise the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, privatise the refineries, deregulate and liberalise the imports of petroleum products and, generally, make the products available at reasonable prices”.

    It was obvious PPPRA was set up primarily to serve the interest of the new power wielders in Abuja and as it turned out, the new inheritors of power ensured the first recorded achievement of PPPRA was its fraudulent claim that it spent N2.1 trillion on phantom subsidy in 2011, a figure brought down to less than one trillion in 2012 following protest by Nigerians. Then there was the theft of N1.7 trillion according to House Committee probe report, in 2011 during the tenure of Ahmadu Alli, as chairman of PPPRA. It was perpetrated by politicians and their fronts who according to Audu Ogbe, a former PDP chairman, “never imported a bottle of fuel”. The body also went on to increase the number of fuel importers from less than a dozen to 128 as patronage to politicians and their fronts. We can also add PPPRA’s fraudulent claim that the nation consumed 60.25 million litters in 2011, a figure that also went down to 39.66 litres in 2012 followed intervention by the Lower House.

    Besides the overlapping functions of PPMC and PPPRA, it is obvious from the above that the stakes are very high for so-called beneficiaries of deregulation in the oil sector who in the last 16 years have instead of building refineries, chosen to fall over each other in erecting the largest storage facility in the world and rent same to NNPC. PPPRA which  has demonstrated greater commitments to importation of refined petroleum products as against making our own refineries work depends on the storage facilities of members of Depot Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) (Obat Petroleum is reputed to have the largest and most modern storage facilities in the world). It also patronises Independent Marketers Company (NIPCO) that has invested billions in storage facilities and a jetty in Apapa. It also relies to some degree on the services of Oando and Zenon petroleum companies that jointly control over 200 trucks and a jetty owned by Zenon.

    The stakes are too high for those who have made huge investments on tank farms and live as parasites in the last 17 years. They will remain hostage takers long after the expected Kachikwu’s attainment of self -sufficiency in local production. Since this cannot be wished away, Kachikwu and the government must find the political will to negotiate with these determined and unrepentant hostage-takers. The ongoing shadow boxing between DSS and Ifeanyi Ubah while NNPC behaves like an unconcerned onlooker, is enough evidence that the government has very few choices.

  • Ubah diverted N11b PMS to cause artificial scarcity, says DSS

    Ubah diverted N11b PMS to cause artificial scarcity, says DSS

    •Court rules tomorrow on whether to free businessman

    The Department of State Services (DSS) said yesterday that detained businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah, planned to plunge the nation into economic and social crises by creating artificial scarcity of petroleum product with his alleged diversion of the over 80 million litres stored in his facility.

    The DSS said the alleged diversion was stealing and an attempt to cripple the economy since petroleum is the main source of the nation’s revenue.

    The service said the act is punishable by death under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    A lawyer to the DSS, G. Agbadua, said these while arguing a counter-affidavit filed by his client in opposition to an application by Ubah, seeking the vacation of an order granted to the DSS on May 10 for his detention for 14 days pending the completion of investigation.

    Ubah has been in DSS’ custody since his arrest on May 10, following complaint by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). NNPC alleged that the businessman diverted the over 80 million litres kept in the tank farm of his company, Capital Oil and Gas Limited based in Lagos.

    The DSS said Ubah’s continued detention is based on the order granted by Justice Haliru Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Jabi, an order which Ubah has applied to be set aside.

    The businessman argued, among others, that the court was misled by the DSS, which allegedly suppressed material facts from the court.

    Agbadua, in a written address he adopted yesterday, contended that, as against the argument by Ubah that the diversion was purely a civil case, his action was criminal and was allegedly intended to threaten the nation’s economy.

    Justifying the DSS’ involvement in the case, Agbadua argued that the alleged offence falls within such issues that the DSS could investigate. He said the act was not only punishable under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004, but also under Section 383 of the Criminal Code.

    Agbadua said: “The action of the respondent (Ubah) to sabotage the distribution of petroleum products is a capital offence under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    “The act of the respondent was capable of plunging the country into chaos as a result of scarcity of product had the NNPC not taken a proactive step to forestall such situation.

    “This clearly brings the action of the respondent under the provision of the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    “The punishment of sabotage under this Act attracts death penalty.  It is clear that the respondent was arrested for the conversion of the property of NNPC. It is not just an ordinary stealing, it is stealing of the lifeblood of the nation,” Agbadua said.

    He said the gravity of the alleged offence informed why a diligent investigation was required to ensure prompt prosecution of the respondent, a position which informed why the applicant (DSS) sought the permission of the court to detain him pending the conclusion of investigation.

    The DSS explained its involvement in the case in its counter-affidavit, in which it said that “the respondent was arrested on reasonable suspicion of his involvement in the commission of crime. He converted PMS belonging to the NNPC kept in the custody of his tank farm to his personal use.

    “The respondent refused to return the PMS to NNPC after repeated demands. The PMS is worth over N11billion. The action of the respondent is affecting the distribution of petroleum products to the populace.”

    Arguing Ubah’s application earlier, his lawyer, Mrs. Ifeoma Esom, prayed the court to either set aside its order of May 10 or order her client’s release because his continued detention was unjustified.

    She argued that the issue on which he was being held was purely civil and contractual, and in respect of which provisions have been made for penalty in the case of default.

    Mrs. Esom stated that Capital Oil and Gas has been one of the largest “throughputs provider” for the NNPC for a long time and that providers of such services are allowed to either convert or divert products kept with it as long as it can re-deliver the product within seven days or to pay penalty for non-redelivery.

    “The failure to re-deliver is expressly stated by the contract to be a mere breach of contract, remediable by the payment of penalty to the owner.

    “There can therefore be no issue of crime in conversion of products under a throughput contract (regardless of the ordinary connotations of those words,” Mrs. Esom said.

    After listening to the lawyers, Justice Yusuf adjourned to May 25 for ruling.

  • Ubah’s diversion of N11b PMS meant to cause artificial scarcity – DSS

    Ubah’s diversion of N11b PMS meant to cause artificial scarcity – DSS

    …Says offence punishable by death

     

    The Department of State Services (DSS) said Tuesday that detained businessman, Ifeanyi Ubah was plotting to plunge the nation into economic and social crises by creating artificial scarcity of petroleum product with his alleged diversion of the over 80million litters stored in his facility.

    The DSS said the alleged diversion of the product by Ubah was not only stealing, but an attempt to cripple the nation’s economy (petroleum being the main source of the nation’s revenue), act punishable by death under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    A lawyer to the DSS, G. Agbadua said these while arguing a counter-affidavit filed by his client in opposition to an application by Ubah, seeking the vacation of an order granted to the DSS on May 10 for his detention for 14 days pending the completion of investigation.

    Ubah has been in DSS’ custody since his arrest earlier this month following complaint by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), alleging that the businessman diverted the over 80million litres kept in the tank farm of his company, Capital oil and Gas limited based in Lagos.

    The DSS said Ubah’s continued detention is based on the order granted by Justice Halilu Yusuf of the High Court of the federal Capital territory (FCT) in Jabi, an order which Ubah has applied to be set aside, arguing, among others, that the court was misled by the DSS, which allegedly surprised material facts from the court.

    Agbadua, in a written address he adopted yesterday, contended that, as against the argument by Ubah that the diversion was purely a civil case; his action was criminal and was allegedly intended to threaten the nation’s economy.

    While justifying the DSS’ involvement in the case, Agbadua argued that the alleged offence falls within such issues that the DSS could investigate. He said the act was not only punishable under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004, but also under Section 383 of the Criminal Code.

    Agbadua stressed, in his written statement, that: “The action of the respondent (Ubah) to sabotage the distribution of petroleum products is a capital offence under the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    “The act of the respondent was capable of plunging the country into chaos as a result of scarcity of product had the NNPC not taken a proactive step to forestall such situation. This clearly brings the action of the respondent under the provision of the Petroleum Product and Distribution (Anti-Sabotage) Act, 2004.

    “The punishment of sabotage under this Act attracts death penalty.  It is clear that the respondent was arrested for the conversion of the property of NNPC. It is not just an ordinary stealing, it is stealing of the lifeblood of the nation.

    “Oil is the major source of revenue of the Federal Government. Stealing of the revenue is a crime against the economic interest of Nigeria and therefore, falls within the purview of economic threat of national security dimension,” Agbadua said.

    He said the gravity of the alleged offence informed why a diligent investigation was required to ensure prompt prosecution of the respondent, a position which informed why the applicant (DSS) sought the permission of the court to detain him pending the conclusion of investigation.

    The DSS explained its involvement in the case in its counter-affidavit, in which it said that “the respondent was arrested on reasonable suspicion of his involvement in the commission of crime. He converted PMS belonging to the NNPC kept in the custody of his tank farm to his personal use.

    “The respondent refused to return the PMS to NNPC after repeated demands. The PMS is worth over N11billion. The action of the respondent is affecting the distribution of petroleum products to the populace.

    “The action of the respondent is sabotage of NNPC’s activities as it relates to distribution of petroleum products. If not for the urgent steps taken by the Federal Government, the action of the respondent would have plunged the country into widespread scarcity with its attendant effect on the economy.

    “Petroleum is the lifeblood of Nigerian economy. NNPC is a major stakeholder in the petroleum industry in Nigeria. An attack on the Nigerian economy is an economic threat of national security dimension. The Nigerian populace will suffer untold hardship if NNPC is unable to discharge its statutory responsibilities, including distribution of petroleum products as well as generating revenue for the country.

    “The action of the respondent, if not checked, is capable of undermining the NNPC in the discharge of its duties.  Investigation into the activities of the respondent Is yet to be completed. A premature released of the respondent will adversely impact on the investigation, which is nearing completion.”

    Arguing Ubah’s application earlier, his lawyer, Mrs. Ifeoma Esom prayed the court to either set aside its order of May 10 or order her client’s release because his continued detention was unjustified.

    She argued that the issue on which he was being held was purely civil and contractual, and in respect of which provisions have been made for penalty in the case of default.

    Mrs Esom stated that Capital Oil and Gas has been one of the largest “throughput provider” for the NNPC   for a long time and that providers of such services are allowed to either convert or divert products kept with it as long as it can re-deliver the product within seven days or to pay penalty for non-redelivery.

    “The failure to re-deliver is expressly stated by the contract to be a mere breach of contract, remediable by the payment of penalty to the owner.

    “There can therefore be no issue of crime in conversion of products under a throughput contract (regardless of the ordinary connotations of those words,” Mrs. Esom said.

    After listening to the lawyers, Justice Yusuf adjourned to May 25 for ruling.

     

  • Edo Assembly postpones resumption

    Edo Assembly postpones resumption

    … DSS deployed to Assembly

    Officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) have been deployed to the premises of the Edo State House of Assembly to prevent breakdown of law and order in the House.

    The move followed alleged plot to impeach Speaker of the House, Justin Okonoboh.

    Two DSS vehicles were stationed outside the Assembly premises when our correspondent visited the place on Monday morning.

    The lawmakers were expected to resume plenary on Monday after two months holiday but a letter issued on Sunday night said the planned plenary resumption has been postponed indefinitely.

    Some workers of the Assembly, who were seen speaking at different gatherings, confirmed they heard of plot to impeach the Speaker.

    A lawmaker, who spoke in confidence, dismissed the impeachment plot, but admitted there were differences they were sorting out.

    The lawmaker said there were talks among the lawmakers to resolve all issues in the House.

    Another source said the lawmakers persuaded the Speaker to postpone plenary to prevent them from receiving the list of commissioner nominees from Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    Speaker Okonoboh described the impeachment plot as a rumour.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senate probes DSS recruitment

    Senate probes DSS recruitment

    The Senate is investigating alleged lopsided recruitment of personnel by the DepartaChairman Tijjani Kaura said yesterday.

    Senator Kaura, who spoke during plenary, drew the attention of his colleagues to reports alleging lopsidedness in the recruitment.

    He said his committee was concerned about the reports and decided to look into the matter to ensure that justice was done to all zones of the country.

    The Federal Character Commission (FCC) is awaiting the response of the DSS to its query on the same matter, according to its chairman Dr. Shettima Abba.

    The dust raised by the recruitment by the DSS has refused to settle.

    Katsina State where Director General of DSS Lawal Daura hails from, was reported to have received 51 slots which is more than the combined 42 slots of all the states in the South South

    The total number of recruit is 479.

    Lagos State got seven slots, Akwa Ibom State five slots, Kano 25 slots while Kaduna 24 slots, Edo six, Bauchi 23.

    Kaura said: “I wish to inform the Senate that the Committee on Federal Character is looking critically into the reports of slanted recruitment in the Department of State Services to ensure that justice is done in line with the constitution and the Federal Character Act.

    “We have received similar complaints from other areas which we are also looking into to ensure fairness and equity.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki  noted that since Kaura came under personal explanation there would not be any debate of the issue raised.

     

  • Senate probes ‘lopsided’ recruitment in DSS

    Senate probes ‘lopsided’ recruitment in DSS

    The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs said it has commenced investigation into the alleged lopsidedness recruitment of cadet officers in the Department of State Services (DSS).

    The Chairman of the Committee, Tijjani Kaura, who disclosed during Thursday’s plenary, said the committee would soon come up with its recommendations.

    Quoting Order 43 of the Senate Standing Order, Kaura said the committee was prompted to commence investigation into the matter following petitions from some concerned Nigerians.

    He assured that the committee would stop at nothing to ensure that the issue of federal character as contained in 1999 Constitution (Amended) was followed to the letter.

    Kaura said, “I stand before you, on behalf of Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter- Governmental Affairs, to say that this committee is looking critically into this matter.

    “This is with the intention of ensuring that justice is done in this recruitment.

    “I also want to add that this committee has similar cases from different agencies, which it is already looking into to ensure the Constitution is strictly followed.’

    In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, urged the committee to carry out thorough investigation into the matter and report back to the Senate.

    He said, “In line with our standing rule, we cannot debate on the matter. We take note of your comment and we will look into the matter.

    “The committee should keep us posted on its findings and recommendations.’’

    NAN

     

     

  • DSS fails to produce Dasuki in court

    DSS fails to produce Dasuki in court

    The Department of the State Service (DSS)  failed again to bring the ex- National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), to court on Wednesday.

    Dasuki is standing trial on a 19-count charge of alleged diversion of N13.6 billion at the Abuja High Court, Maitama.

    He is being tried alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Executive Director and two others.

    At the resumed sitting on Wednesday, all other defendants were present in court, except Dasuki and at the last sitting; the trial was adjourned till May 16, May 17 and May 18.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that he contacted the DSS legal director on Tuesday for Dasuki to be brought to court.

    “I am surprised that he is not here today, I also contacted DSS again today, I was told that Dasuki said that he was indisposed,“ Jacobs said.

    Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), said from all indications “it is an interdepartmental issue and it should be on record that we were in court on Tuesday and Wednesday.”

    NAN

     

  • How we recovered huge cash in Justice Ngwuta’s house – DSS

    How we recovered huge cash in Justice Ngwuta’s house – DSS

    A clearer picture emerged Tuesday on how security officials allegedly recovered huge cash in the Abuja home of Supreme Court judge, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta.

    Two officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) – Tanimola Alao and John Utazi – took turn to explain their roles in the processes leading to the recovery of the cash and how Justice Ngwuta voluntarily offered statement to investigators.

    Led in evidence by lead prosecuting lawyer, Mrs. Olufemi Fatunde, Alao and Utazi testified as the 4th and 5th prosecution witnesses in the trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Justice Ngwuta is standing trial for corruption, money laundering, and possession of multiple travel passports, among others.

    Utazi, who said he led the team of DSS officials to the judge’s house at the Supreme Court Quarters, said they had initially encountered difficulty in accessing the house until the policemen on guard were directed by their superiors to give way.

    He said when they were allowed in on October 7 last year, his team met the judge at home.

    The DSS official said, “I introduced myself and my team members to him and we showed the defendant our identity cards. I also gave him the search warrant to read, after which he asked us if the Chief Justice of Nigeria was aware. I answered that I was not aware.

    “Thereafter, I requested the defendant to search me and members of my team. He declined and said there was no trouble. However, I asked my team members to search one another in his presence, after which we told the defendant that we were ready to conduct the search.

    “He took us upstairs. There were four rooms and a sitting room upstairs. The four rooms included the defendant’s study. He took us to the first bedroom. We started searching while he sat on a seat.

    “There were two wardrobes in the room. One was by a closet and the other was facing the closet. As we opened the one facing the closet, there were bags. We opened the bags and asked the defendant to see the content. The content was money.

    “The second wardrobe was concealed with a cloth. When the wardrobe was opened, we saw several bags and they were filled with foreign currencies.

    “He took us to another bedroom. We searched it again and we also discovered money. After the second bedroom, he took us to his study.

    “In the study room, we recovered bank statements, building plans, land documents, documents relating to the defendant’s salary and some vehicle papers.”

    Utazi said his team did not find any incriminating item in other parts of the house, including the fourth bedroom, the ground floor (where the two rooms and two sitting rooms located), the boys’ quarters and the car park.

    He added:  “We brought down the items recovered to the sitting room downstairs, where we counted the money.

    “We documented everything on the back of the search warrant. The documentation was done in his presence. I endorsed the documented items recovered and also gave it to him to see.

    “After seeing it, he read through and signed on it. Thereafter, I assembled all items recovered and told the defendant to search us just like we did when we came in.

    “The defendant declined to search us but we searched ourselves in the presence of the defendant. We then requested the defendant to follow us and he  followed us.”

     

  • Federal Character Commission queries DSS over ‘lopsided recruitment’

    Federal Character Commission queries DSS over ‘lopsided recruitment’

    The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has demanded an explanation from the Department of State Services (DSS) over the recent appointments into the organisation which has been described as lopsided.

    Its Chairman, Dr. Shettima Abba, said the commission has given the DSS a three-month ultimatum to explain the alleged appointment lopsidedness or face appropriate sanctions.

    There has been an outcry in the country over the recent recruitment into the DSS.

    According to reports, the DSS recruited 51 persons from Katsina state alone whereas all the states in the South South got a combined 42 candidates.

    The action is believed to have unduly favoured some states, contrary to section 14 (3) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

    Abba pleaded for time before the commission would be able to make a categorical statement, adding that the DSS Director General, Mallam Lawal Daura, is out of the country on assignment.

    He pledged that investigation would be carried out to determine if the agency had breached any extant law relating to appointments in line with the rules of the FCC.

    He said: “In the Federal Character Commission, we are looking at the total number of indigenes of each state in a particular organisation. With the DSS, until we look at the total number on the nominal roll and compare it with the recruitment recently made, we cannot categorically say anything yet.

    “The FCC has given the DSS three months to respond. If they don’t respond, whatever sanction that is being applied shall be taken. No answer has been given by the DSS because the DG is not in the country.

    “Similar lopsided recruitment has been made in the past. That was in 2014-2016 which people complained about. We want to now go in to look at the total number from each state and this will determine our action.

    “Although I have not seen the nominal roll I believe this one might be a corrective measure. We have already written to the DSS to supply us with the details of the recruitment and the details of their nominal roll including those who applied and those shortlisted so that we can confirm if the recruitment is lopsided or not. If we discover that it is lopsided, we will advise them appropriately.

    “Certain states are seriously over employed, if you look at the recent ones, if they were under represented in the previous recruitment before this one, then it is a corrective measure .

    “For now it is not yet time for us to conclude on anything. They have to provide us with details of their manpower across the states.

    “The advertisement the DSS did was internal on their website. That was the reason we wrote to them to tell us the processes they used, we had earlier sent them our own processes of recruitment before and after they recruited. They are aware of FCC procedures and guidelines of advertisements, bringing out a long list and a short list on how these things are being done.”

     

  • DSS’ skewed appointments

    DSS’ skewed appointments

    •Federal Character Commission and National Assembly should right the wrongs

    The recent lopsided recruitment by the Department of State Security (DSS) unfortunately mirrors similar skewed appointments made by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari since its inception. According to media reports, in the recent recruitment by the DSS, Katsina State got 51 new cadets, whereas all the states in the south-south got 42 slots. Out of that, Rivers State got seven, Delta (eight), Edo (six), Cross River (nine), Bayelsa (seven) and Akwa Ibom, five.

    The distribution among the other states as reported are Anambra 10; Bauchi (23), Bayelsa (seven), Benue (nine), Borno (16), Cross River (nine), Delta (eight), Ebonyi (seven), Edo (six), and Ekiti 12. Others are Enugu (nine), FCT (seven), Gombe (14), Imo (11), Jigawa (14), Kaduna (24), Kano (25), Katsina (51), Kebbi (16) and Kogi (11). Kwara had 13, Lagos (seven), Nasarawa (11), Niger (11), Ogun (eight), Ondo (nine), Osun (10), Oyo (11), Plateau (nine), Rivers (seven), Sokoto (15), Taraba (16), Yobe (12) and Zamfara (20). If the reports are correct, then the DSS has flagrantly violated section 14(3) of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

    The section provides: “the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies.”

    If the executive arm of the government is diffident in correcting the explicit abuse of office implicit in the lopsided appointments, then the National Assembly owes their electors the responsibility to relieve the executive of the guilty pang. But why should the presidency, despite its own challenges, not call the DSS to order? Whereas the president was excused for appointing his closest aides from a particular region, there can be no excuse for appointing the country’s secret police in a manner that will promote national disunity or encourage disloyalty.

    The Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, hails from Katsina State, but in our view, the love for his state is not enough reason to give more than 10% of the entire recruitment opportunities available to his home state, and more than two-thirds to the region he comes from. To do as reported exposes the DSS boss to a fair charge of nepotism and tribalism. If, however ,he cannot control himself, then the Federal Character Commission (FCC), empowered by the 1999 constitution to stop such abuse of office, should stop him.

    Paragraph 8(1)(b) of Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the constitution provides: “In giving effect to the provision of section 14(3) and (4) of this constitution, the commission shall have power to: promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels.” Also, the commission is empowered by section 4(1)(g)(i) of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment etc.) Act 2004, to: “ensure that all ministries and extra-ministerial departments, agencies and other bodies affected by this act have clear criteria indicating the conditions to be fulfilled and comprehensive guidelines on the procedure for determining eligibility and the procedure for employment in the public and private sectors of the economy”.

    If the FCC fails to stop the DSS, then the National Assembly can ensure obedience to the rule of law in the recruitment exercise, through its constitutional power of oversight. On its own, the DSS can retrace its step, even as we urge the civil society to be on the watch.