Like the case of the defunct Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), preceding it a call has come for the immediate disbandment of the Department of State Services (DSS), for becoming a threat to democracy and human rights in Nigeria.
The call is coming from Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, (CDHR), in the wake of last Friday’s re-arrest of the promoter of #RevolutionNow promoter, Omoyele Sowore, by the DSS inside the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Though the DSS, in a statement by its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, denied, on Saturday, that it ever arrested the activist in the courtroom as being spread in the media, the CDHR, appeared unfazed, insisting that the secret police, had gone the way of its predecessor, which was disbanded by the regime of Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, after overthrowing that of Muhammadu Buhari in 1983.
President of CDHR, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, who said in a statement that DSS had shown itself to be unworthy of its name and service, argued: “There is a precedent for this. We once had an outfit called the NSO. The SSS or DSS as they now call themselves, have completely outlived its usefulness. It is beyond redemption. It has to be dissolved immediately.
“We call on the Nigerian people and Nigeria Bar Association, NBA to insist on this; and the National Assembly to side with the Nigeria people, to repeal the law that establish the DSS, sack all its personnel and by legislation, lay the foundation for a new security system agency focused on the protection of the well being of all Nigerians, as opposed to the imagined interest of a few office holders in Nigeria.
“While the DSS further violates the rights of Omoyele Sowore, it has exposed itself as an agency of government that cannot be taken seriously. At a point, their Information Officer trivialised the issues, by saying that Omoyele Sowore and others were so comfortable in DSS Custody that they would rather stay there indefinitely. At another time, they said, the Court order to release Omoyele Sowore was being disobeyed according to DSS, to prevent him from being run over by an unmarked vehicle.
“Unfortunately for them, the issue of observance of human rights, democracy and good governance, is not a comical show, and Nigerians have shown that we are not amused. This is captured by the resoluteness clearly shown by the Judge that gave an ultimatum to the same Agency to release Omoyele Sowore within 24 hours. From all indications, the DSS realised that the game was up by quickly complying, or pretending to, for a few hours.
“The incident conveys in unmistakable terms, that the DSS as an Agency of Government is completely out of tune with the rationale for its establishment as an agency and the mandate which it is to carry out.
“The charade and shenanigans of their orchestrated completely unconstitutional secret trials of those who have been criminalized for expressing their views, has already shown that the agency has outlived its usefulness in present-day Nigeria. This crude abduction of Omoyele Sowore, confirms beyond all doubt that the DSS as presently composed is nothing but a lapdog that sees its job as not going beyond the preoccupation of imagining the expectations of persons holding public office for a limited period of time, even when no express direction has been given them.
“We are reminded of the onslaught of the same DSS against the National Assembly of a few years ago in the absence of Mr President. They choose to ride roughshod over the rights and interests of the Nigerian people in whom sovereignty lies at all times.”
Source: Whirlwindnews.com
