The Nation Newspaper

Tag: sss

  • SSS seals Glass House

    SSS seals Glass House

    The Glass House headquarters of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) was yesterday sealed by operatives of the Department of State Security Service, DSS.

    The operatives were said to have stormed the Nigeria Football Federation Glass House Zone, 7, Wuse District, Abuja at exactly 11.30hrs in convoy of four Hilux vans fully armed.

    Journalists and visitors were prevented from gaining access to the NFF secretariat. Only officials of the federation were allowed entrance.

    Justice L.P. Lot of a High court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, had on Wednesday, restrained the NFF President, Aminu Maigari, his executive committee members and the Congress from carrying on with the running of football in the country.

    The judge also mandated the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, to appoint an acting Secretary General to run the affairs of Nigerian football pending the determination of the Motion on Notice before the court.

    Consequently, Danagogo on Thursday appointed Lawrence Katken, an Assistant Director (Administration) to take charge of affairs at the NFF in the interim, technically making him a Sole Administrator.

  • Okorocha launches ‘Operation know your neighbour’

    Okorocha launches ‘Operation know your neighbour’

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, in collaboration with security chiefs, has put in place security measures to ensure the safety of life and property. This followed the three bombs discovered on Sunday by the police at the Winners’ Chapel in Owerri.

    The governor yesterday launched ‘Operation know your neighbour’ at a special security meeting in Owerri. Service chiefs were in attendance.

    He said nobody committed a crime without a collaborator, adding that since those who committed crimes were human beings, they must be living somewhere and their neighbours should know them.

    Okorocha said hotels should install cameras and send the list of their customers to the Director of State Security Service (SSS).

    He said trailers bringing foodstuffs from the North would not be allowed into the state at night and the items would be off-loaded at a designated place in Owerri.

    Residents were urged to be careful with broken bottles, cans, leather bags, parked tankers and vehicles around their homes, in public places and public buildings.

    The governor directed traditional rulers to convene emergency meetings in their communities to discover strange people.

    According to him, uncompleted buildings in the cities without security guards would be taken over by the government because criminals used them as hideouts.

    Okorocha said plots of land left fallow for several years and not used for any economic or gainful purpose, but taken over by criminals, would be seized by the government.

    He banned smoking of Indian hemp and fixed a meeting of non-indigenes.

  • Nigerian arrested for tweeting jail break photos freed

    Nigerian arrested for tweeting jail break photos freed

    The State Security Service (SSS) yesterday released a man who was arrested for tweeting pictures of an attempted jail break at the headquarters of the intelligence agency in Abuja, his younger brother said.

    Yusuf Siyaka Onimisi, who works for a national electricity firm, was arrested and held incommunicado for at least 11 days after tweeting the pictures.

    “I confirm that my brother has been released. I spoke with him earlier today and our mum is with him in Abuja,” Sanusi Onimisi told AFP on telephone from Kano.

    “I thank all Nigerians, the media and human rights organisations within and outside the country who stood to fight for the release of my brother,” he said.

    But he gave no details of the release.

    “All I can say is that he has been freed by those who arrested, detained and held him incommunicado for about 11 days. I have not slept well since his arrest,” Sanusi said.

    Onimisi’s case sparked concern from human rights groups, with Amnesty International on Friday urging the Nigerian security forces to disclose his whereabouts.

    The 32-year-old was assigned to a sub-station within the presidential compound in Abuja.

    The compound is near the Directorate of State Services (DSS) headquarters where the agency said there was an attempted jail break on March 30, sparking a gun battle that killed 21 detainees.

    Reports suggested Boko Haram militants were among the detainees trying to escape, but there has been no official confirmation of the group’s involvement.

    According to AFP, Nigeria’s security forces, including the SSS, have frequently cited national security concerns to justify arresting people who publish sensitive material.

    DSS spokeswoman Marylin Ogar did not respond to phone calls seeking comment on Onimisi.

  • SSS summons PPMC, NUPENG over fuel scarcity

    Following the lingering fuel scarcity in the country, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) Thursday summoned the Managing Director, Pipeline , Product Marketing Company (PPMC) Prince Haruna Momoh and the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) with a viewing to resolving the  leadership crisis in Independent Marketers Association Nigeria (IPMAN), it was learnt Friday.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja, the NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Achise, said that due to the SSS intervention, there is a high hope of resolving the crisis between now and Tuesday.

    Igwe however noted that NUPENG is not on strike.

    He confirmed that “after the intervention of the MD of PPMC, the Directorate of Security Service (DSS)- DG SSS and we have been able to look at these issues critically again, where we have been assured that the lingering crisis in IPMAN will be given the utmost emergency attention needed to resolve those leadership issues as soon as possible and we are believing that between now,  Monday, Tuesday, this issue of the leadership will be resolved.

    “We have also read through the media that Aminu the former president has finally moved out of office and decided to go and form an association that does not have bearing with the judgement given by competent court of jurisdiction.”

    He explained that the crisis in IPMAN was due to the movement by the outgoing President Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir to continue staying in office despite a court judgement that has pronounced the emergence of his successor.

    According to him,  the union withdrew its services from the Nigeria Independent Petroleum Company (NIPCO) because its owners  Independent IPMAN were involved in fraudulent demand for fuel subsidy claim.

    He noted that: “If that crisis persists, there is no need we keep our services in NIPCO since IPMAN is the  major owner of the investment of the commercial out fit. I think that will be a big way of addressing these challenges.”

    Asked whether NUPENG cannot sanction IPMAN for the allegedly insisting on collecting fuel subsidy money without supply, Achise said :”NIPCO example is part of those sanctions we can take in withdrawing our services from the depot if found that they are having some fraudulent activities at the ongoing in their environment . The allegation is true.”

    Commenting on why it is scarce, the NUPENG boss explained that in as much as petroleum products are imported, products are bound to be scarce.

    He revealed that since the refineries are not functioning, the the nation is at the mercy of the marketers, who also own the private depots to whom the Federal Government has assigned to import petroleum products.

    His words: “Petroleum products are scarce because  Nigeria is still depending majorly on importation of petroleum products. And that importation is mortgaged into the hands of marketers, who are also private depot owners and importers. Our refineries are not  functioning. They are epileptic in production and that cannot sustain this country. And that is why we find ourselves were we are today in term of the scarcity.”

    Asked whether deregulation of the refineries is not the best option, Achise said that to deregulate the downstream of the oil and gas sector is a must.

    He however added a caveat, that the Federal Government would not be fair to the citizenry to deregulate the sector with reliance on fuel importation.

    According to him, “what is affecting our refineries today is because of the system that is surrounding the refinery operations.”

    Continuing, he said “we need to do a turn around maintenance of the refineries for us to make it work effectively. The Port-Harcourt Refineries we  agreed on this last year with the Ministry of Petroleum. It failed. The next one, he said by first quarter of next year picked up. First quarter has gone and it has gone. So, must we continue to remain in this kind of shadow?”

  • SSS appeals court’s judgment on seizure of Sanusi’s passport

    SSS appeals court’s judgment on seizure of Sanusi’s passport

    The State Security Service (SSS) has appealed the ruling by a Lagos State High Court ordering it to pay N50 million damages to the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

    Sanusi had approached the court asking for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights and the declaration that the SSS abridged his fundamental human right by seizing his international passport.

    President judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba had awarded N50 million judgment cost against the SSS for the unlawful seizure of Sanusi’s passport.

    But in a statement Friday by its spokesperson, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, the SSS expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction with Justice Buba’s ruling.

    Ogar said by impounding Sanusi’s passport, the SSS acted in accordance with the law.

    The SSS said  its action was backed by Section 3(2) (b)  of Instrument SSS No. 1 of 1999, made pursuant to Section  6 of the National Security Agencies (NSA) Act.

    The statement said in part: “The State Security Service is hereby empowered to impound and keep in its custody the passports or any other property of persons or organizations under investigation if considered appropriate by the Director General.

    “Returns of all such seizures shall be rendered to the National Security Adviser, while such passports shall be returned to the owners as soon as the investigation is concluded.

    “It is therefore necessary to state that in impounding the passport of Mallam Sanusi Lamido, the Service acted in accordance with the law.

    “Consequently, the Service has taken immediate steps to appeal this rather erroneous judgement. Notwithstanding, this Service holds and continues to hold the judiciary in high esteem as critical partners in nurturing our democracy and nation building.”

  • SSS interrogates detained Boko Haram suspects

    SSS interrogates detained Boko Haram suspects

    State Security Service (SSS) officials are questioning detained Boko Haram suspects to ascertain if external collaborators were involved in Sunday’s failed —and bloody —jailbreak.

    Twenty-one suspects died in the attempted jailbreak at the Abuja SSS facility, according to the Service.

    Some suspects, especially passers-by, arrested within the vicinity of the SSS Asokoro headquarters have been released – in line with the Service’s “respect for human rights”.

    It was learnt that some of those arrested had valid identification cards and they were passers-by.

    A new framework put in place by security agencies triggered the intervention of soldiers during the jailbreak.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said the Service had started finding out the remote and immediate causes of the botched jailbreak.

    The source said: “We are de-briefing all the detainees to determine how the plot was hatched and if external collaborators were involved.

    “We may also look into the likelihood of internal collaboration, although the strict system of recruitment might make it impossible. This is the only service that conducts serious security checks before employing its operatives.

    “What we are doing involves interaction with these detainees by a team of officials, who have been mandated to dig deeper into the foiled jailbreak.”

    On the proposed Board of Inquiry into the incident by the Presidency, another top security source said: “It is a routine thing in a crisis situation like this; it is not an indictment of the SSS. It is also not prejudicial to any internal investigation of the jailbreak by the SSS.

    “The audacity of the Boko Haram detainees accounted for the Board of Inquiry option so as to prevent a reoccurrence in any security agency or military facility.

    “Beyond the outcome of SSS investigation into the incident, the Board, which may comprise sister agencies, is to examine all particulars concerned with any event or challenge.”

    Regarding the intervention of soldiers at the SSS facility, the source said: “The fact is that there is a new security framework in place to promote inter-agency cooperation.

    “Once there is any challenge in any military formation or security agency, the new framework will trigger alarm for Rapid Response by other sister agencies.

    “The soldiers merely responded to this alarm on Sunday by coming to the SSS headquarters. This is the technical or security justification for soldiers’ intervention. It is not as if the SSS was incapable of managing the situation.

    There were indications last night that some suspects around the SSS headquarters, who were arrested in Abuja on Sunday, have been released based on the service’s respect for human rights.

    Another source said: “Some of these suspects were passers-by but they have been released after due checks and frisking were conducted by the service.

    “Since he came on board, the SSS DG, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong places premium on human rights and engagement in line with international best practices.”

  • SSS quizzes Dokubo over ‘inflammatory’ comments

    SSS quizzes Dokubo over ‘inflammatory’ comments

    The leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujahideen Dokubo-Asari, was on Thursday arrested by the State Security Service over his alleged threat of bloodshed if President Goodluck Jonathan is not re-elected in 2015.

    He is currently being quizzed at the SSS headquarters in Abuja.

    Reports say the ex- militant leader Dokubo, arrived the SSS headquarters at about 10am on Thursday, accompaigned by his lawyer and some of his lieutenants .

    The SSS Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, said Dokubo is being quizzed because of the comments.

     

  • PenCom returns N968m to military, SSS, others

    PenCom returns N968m to military, SSS, others

    The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has refunded about N968.9million to the military and paramilitary agencies being their members contribution under the pension scheme.

    The refund, which was paid in the second quarter of last year, represents receipts under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). The repayment followed the withdrawal of the military and the other agencies from the CPS because of security lapses that resulted in the leakage of military personal data.

    PenCom’s Acting Director-General Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu made this known in a report tagged: “Update of the Refund of pension contributions of the military and security agencies,” obtained by The Nation.

    She explained that the refund constituted contributions made under the structure of CPS for the second batch of officers and men of the military and other security service agencies.

    The Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) had sent reports to the Commission, affirming the disbursement of N4.5 billion to the accounts of 32,206 contributors under the first batch, adding that in continuation of the refund, the Military Pension Board, Department of State Services (DSS) and Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) have made additional submissions for 18,924 Army personnel, 7,222 Navy personnel and 8,976 Air force personnel, which have been reviewed and are being processed for payment.

    In the report, Mrs. Anohu-Amazu said the first phase of the Parastatal Pensioners Verification Exercise (PPVE) has been concluded and a final report has also being forwarded to the Budget Office of the Federation.

    She explained that following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) policy on the use of Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Number (NUBAN), the 144 organisations covered under the PPVE Phase 1, were requested to forward their NUBAN numbers of their pensioners captured during the exercise.

    An updated report is expected to be forwarded to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation after collecting the NUBAN numbers, she said.

    On the transfer of National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) contributions to members Retirement Savings Account (RSAs) holders, she said 13,921 requests were received for the transfer of NPF/NSITF contributions amounting to N820 million into contributors’ RSAs during the quarter under review.

    She said: “The Commission reviewed and approved the transfer of N723.5 million into the RSAs of 10,866 applicants.

    “The remaining 2,425 applications were rejected due to incomplete documentation, zero balances and duplicated applications.

    “As at the end of the second quarter, the sum of N8.01 billion has been transferred into the RSAs of 111,034 NPF/NSITF contributors.’’

  • Why SSS operatives were removed from immigration points, by FAAN

    Why SSS operatives were removed from immigration points, by FAAN

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) yesterday gave reasons for the withdrawal of State Security Services (SSS) from immigration points at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    FAAN’s spokesman Yakubu Dati said SSS operatives were withdrawn from Immigration points because their services at such points could affect passengers’ facilitation.

    In a statement yesterday, Dati said: “The FAAN wishes to correct the wrong impression that the services of the SSS were withdrawn from Immigration points at our international airports because such services were unnecessary at airports and they inhibit passenger facilitation.

    “Nothing could be further from the truth because government security services are pivotal to aviation security service internationally, even though their functions are secret in nature.

    “For the purpose of clarity, some government agencies at airports, including the SSS, were recently relocated from the Immigration counters at our international airports, to enable FAAN achieve the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) requirement that passenger facilitation be completed within six minutes of arrival, in line with international standards and practices.”

  • SSS Indian hostages rescued, five arrested

    SSS Indian hostages rescued, five arrested

    The State Security Service (SSS) yesterday confirmed the rescue of three Indian hostages and arrest of five members of the kidnap gang behind the crime.

    The rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with the military.

    It said it has also launched manhunt for the leader of the gang and others who are on the run.

    The SSS, which made the disclosures in a statement by its Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, said the hostages had been handed over to the Indian High Commission in the country.

    The statement said: “On 30th January 2014, this Service in collaboration with the Military rescued three (3) Indians, Kanishik Jhorar, Mhinder Singh Saini and Balwinder Singh.

    “They were kidnapped on 3rd January, 2014, while on board a cargo ship, MV SAN MIGUEL belonging to Martinez Hermanos Limitada, an Equatorial Guinea Company, off the coast of Equatorial Guinea and brought to Bonny Channel, Rivers State, where they were held hostage.

    “Accordingly, on 31st January, 2014, the three (3) Indians were handed over to the Indian High Commission and the country of their employers (Equatorial Guinea Embassy) respectively.

    “No ransom was paid for their release. Meanwhile, five (5) members of the kidnap gang have been arrested, while the leader of the group and others are still at large.”

    For sometimes some kidnap gangs had been targeting Indian and Filipino sailors operating in Niger Delta coast in return for ransom.

    In a similar pattern in January 2013, five Indian sailors, who were held captive for more than a month, were later set free within the same timeframe.

    The sailors were kidnapped on Dec. 17, 2012 aboard a ship, SP Brussels.