Fresh facts emerged yesterday that the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Gordon Obuah, is among those affected in the latest mass purge at the Department of State Services (DSS). An investigation panel led by a former director of training had recommended the dismissal of the former CSO alongside one Liman Widi, a personal assistant to the former Director General of the service, Ita Ekpenyong, for alleged corrupt practices and playing partisan roles inimical to service codes, according to an online news portal, Premium Times.
Equally, a former spokesperson for the service, Marilyn Ogar, former CSO to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abdulrahman Mani and one Adamu, the former CSO to Ekpenyong were also among the list of personnel compulsorily retired by the secret service.
Also disengaged from the service are Yomi Zamba, Little John Okojie, Ahmed Abdullahi, Ibrahim Katsina, Larry Obiagwu, Abdulganiyu Dauda, Dahiru Dodo, Suleiman Dabo, among others. A source in the service said Obuah and Widi were recommended for dismissal from service for alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering deals. Security sources said Obuah’s explanation on the alleged $6.9 million deal and oil bunkering did not satisfy the investigative panel, hence the panel recommended them for dismissal.
Ogar was compulsorily retired. A notice for retirement issued to her, titled: “Retirement From Service”, read, “Following the on-going re-organisation in the service, be informed that that your services are no longer required in the DSS. You are therefore, retired from Service under Section 8 Rule 020806(II) of the Public Seervice Rules, 2006 wef August 31, 2015.”
In July, Obuah was rumoured to have passed away in the custody of the service after he was detained on allegations of corruption and partisanship. He was released a few days after his lawyer raised the alarm over his failing health. In another development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that the party will no longer tolerate a situation where the All Progressives Congress- led (APC) Federal Government will use security operatives to intimidate and harass its members in any part of the country.
The acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, who gave this warning yesterday, alleged that the operatives of the DSS on Thursday, invaded Akwa Ibom State Government House to kidnap Governor Udom Emmanuel. “Let us alert the nation that a few hours ago there was a civilian coup d’état in Akwa Ibom State where the DSS under the leadership the Director General, Lawan Daura, invaded the Akwa Ibom Government House, ransacked the entire government House looking for the governor to kidnap,” Secondus said.
Speaking when he received in audience the Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, who was at the party’s national secretariat to submit his nomination forms for the December 5 governorship election in the state, Secondus said the action of the DSS was influenced by the desire of the APC-led Federal Government to take away PDP-controlled states of Abia, Delta, Taraba, Rivers and Akwa Ibom at all cost.
He described Daura as a re-incarnation of the former Director General of National Security Organisation (NSO), Lawal Rafindadi. Rafindadi served under President Buhari, during his days as military head of state. “They still want to take over by force all the states controlled by PDP. This nation belongs to all, to both PDP and APC, and a situation where consistently, the DSS has assaulted states controlled by PDP would no longer be tolerated. The international community should be aware of what is going on. Is this democracy? Is this how PDP ruled in 16 years? Enough is enough.
This is a clear warning that they should desist from taking laws into their hands,” he stated. He assured the governor that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party would conduct free, honest and transparent primary elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states. However, a source within the agency has explained the reason behind their invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House, in Uyo, yesterday. According to him, Emmanuel was not DSS’ target in the operation. The source told Saturday Telegraph that: “He was by no means our target.
Our aim was to dislodge the high level of criminality that had taken root within the Government House.” The source, who said he would rather stay anonymous, said the government of the state was aware of the criminal element in reference “and should be truthful in their reaction to the operation.” Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has condemned the invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Government House, Uyo by the DSS, warning that state apparatus must not be used to intimidate perceived opposition.
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, said the conduct of the DSS in recent times was becoming anti-democratic. He expressed disgust that the DSS under the leadership of Daura had become partisan and if not checked could truncate democracy in the country.
“Yesterday, the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo was invaded by armed men from the special squad of the DSS. They invaded the Presidential Wing of the Government House in a commandoliked manner, ransacked it, intimidated and harassed the occupants, claiming that they were searching for bomb and documents!
“One wonders when the Government House of Akwa- Ibom State turned to a factory where bombs are made. Also, we wonder why men of the DSS were overzealously looking for bomb in Akwa Ibom State Government House, instead of the Boko Haram ravaged North-Eastern part of Nigeria,” he said.
