Fake DSS operative arrested in Bayelsa

Men of the Bayelsa State Command of the Department of State Services DSS have arrested a man, who have been parading himself as a staff of the service and swindling unsuspecting members of the public.
The suspect, Emmanuel Udo Akpan, aged 42, was dismissed from the Delta State Police Command in 2013 and had been on the police wanted list over alleged criminal activities bordering on impersonation and extortion of money from members of the public under the guise of facilitating their recruitment into the service.
Akpan, a father of five, yesterday at the DSS headquarters in Yenagoa confessed to the crime and pleaded with the authorities for leniency.
Akpan said he resorted to posing as a DSS operative and extorting money from the unsuspecting public following his dismissal from the force two years ago.
“I have a wife and five children to cater for, please have mercy on me,” he pleaded.

But the Bayelsa Command of the DSS led by the new Director, Mr. Ade Olusesan said the suspect was never a staff of the service would be handed over to the police for prosecution.
According to the DSS, the suspect had been on the police wanted list for offences bordering on impersonation and extortion of members of the public under the guise of assisting them to pass recruitment into the service.
“Upon receiving the complaint on his shady dealings, our operatives swung into action and arrested the suspect in whose custody, incriminating items were recovered,” the command noted.

The items, which were displayed, include, police (SARS) case file, police visitor identification tag, judiciary file, a stapler, which he claimed he used as gun at night to frighten his victims, Bayelsa State government file folder bearing the office of the Deputy Governor among others.

Vandals kill 9 DSS operatives in Arepo

Nine operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, were on Tuesday night shot dead by vandals at Konu, a border between Arepo in Ogun State and Ikorodu, Lagos State, even as scores of persons have been declared missing as a result of the attack on the area.

At press time, no one could ascertain the command the operatives were from.
The activities of the vandals spilled over to Oke-Oko, Ikorodu area of Lagos State as residents deserted the community, following an attack by the vandals, suspected to be militants.
The incident occurred around 5pm on Tuesday, and left an unidentified number of persons missing. Unconfirmed report said the killing of the DSS operatives occurred less than six hours, after seven other security operatives were allegedly killed at the Ishawo area of Ikorodu by suspected vandals.
Killing DSS operatives, policemen
The killing of the DSS operatives occurred barely three weeks after four policemen were shot dead by vandals at Ikorodu area of Lagos,with their bodies suspected to have been taken away by the vandals still missing.
Vanguard gathered that the over 20 vandals, clad in black shirts and trousers, with red bands tied round their heads, stormed Arepo creeks where they broke a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC .
They reportedly loaded over eight trucks with petroleum product siphoned from the pipelines, while their members drove the trucks through Konu.
There were, however, different accounts on to how the DSS operatives were killed as a version of the account had it that the operatives who acted on a tip off, stormed Konu to effect the arrest of the vandals and the trucks load of petroleum product.
Ambush
The DSS operatives reportedly ran into the ambush laid by the vandals who opened fire on them, killing nine on the spot.
Another account had it that the operatives had gone to Ikorodu to attend the social wake-keep of one of their colleagues but had fire opened on them by the vandals who thought they were in the area to arrest them.
The exact number of operatives that left for the operation could, however, not be ascertained last night but Vanguard gathered that the vehicle they rode in to the area was still at the spot at about 1pm yesterday.

It could also not be ascertained whether the bodies of the slain operatives were taken away by their assailants.
Vanguard was reliably informed that vandals suspected to be militants have taken over Arepo creeks and have dared security operatives to come and dislodge them.
It was also gathered that aside yesterday’s killing, other security operatives have been killed, with their bodies taken to the creeks where they are buried in shallow graves.
Appeal to Ogun govt
At the moment, residents of Konu are appealing to Ogun State government to nip activities of vandals in the bud to prevent the problem from spinning out of control.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Yesterday’s shots was like a theatre of war. Though we are used to gun shots around this area, it has never been like this in recent times.
“There is no night that we don’t see tankers driving in and out through this route. Most times, some of them would drive the trucks, while other will follow behind in different cars.
Sporadic gun shots
“They usually announce their arrival with sporadic gunshots, while others will just hang around making phone calls. But nobody dares to challenge them . If you do, they descend on you and ask if the oil belongs to your father. At times, they will even kill the person. So, we are living in fear.”
Spokesman of Lagos State police command, Joe Offor, could not state exactly who were killed but simply stated that the sounds of gun shots were heard by policemen attached to Owutu.
“We don’t know whether anyone was killed, we do not know whether any DSS operative was also killed. What we know is that there were skirmishes in that area yesterday (Tuesday) night,” he said.
Efforts to reach his Ogun State counterpart, Muyiwa Adejobi, failed as calls were being diverted.
Also efforts to reach spokesman of Lagos State command of DSS, Mr Ade, could not also go through.
Sources at the DSS, however, gave a conflicting figure on the number of those who lost their lives. While some put the number at six, others said they were five. DSS sources, however, stated that those killed were policemen and not their personnel.

Ministerial list: Falana, Oyinlola, Odimegwu others undergo DSS screening

There are strong indications that the Department of State Service, (DSS) has completed a screening process for some of the ministerial nominees to make up the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ministerial listAmong the list of those who were said to have been screened by the DSS are, former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, Femi Falana (SAN), a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun and Former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Limited, Mr. Festus Odimegwu.

Others in the list are, Abubakar Malami (SAN), former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); an former chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru;.

Vanguard gathered from a source very close to the presidency who pleaded anonymity that the aforementioned nominees had appeared before the DSS for their screening at the weekend.

However, the nominees are yet to give any confirmation on the supposed screening which may not be far-fetched from the fact that appointments of this nature are treated cautiously in the official circle.

It was gathered that no fewer than 20 nominees had been so far screened by the DSS operatives since the exercise started.

Recall that the President had indicated in a chat with journalists in Accra, Ghana, on Monday that he would keep his promise of announcing names of his ministers this month.

Our source revealed that the screening process by the DSS involved conducting background checks on the careers of the nominees and operatives were also checking for records of the nominees with anti-graft and security agencies.

DSS arrests 21 Boko Haram suspects in Lagos, Enugu, others

The Department of State Services, DSS, said yesterday that it had arrested notable commanders and front line members of the notorious Islamic sect, Boko Haram, from different parts of the country, especially, those responsible for the coordination and execution of the suicide attacks in Potiskum, Kano, Zaria and Jos.

Detained cleric asks court to jail DSS DG

A human rights lawyer, Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, said he has commenced contempt proceedings against the Director General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, over the continued detention of an Islamic cleric, Abdul-Ganiy Ibrahim, in spite of a court order.

Illegal fire arms: DSS charges Dasuki to court

The immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) has been charged to court by the Department of State Security Services (DSS), over offenses related to possession of fire arms without license.

A statement by the DSS on Monday issued by Tony Opuiyo said after searching Dasuki’s houses on July 16, 2015, its men discovered large cache of arms and ammunition and has subsequently charged him to court.

INEC: Buhari/Zakari danger signal

There were dangerous indications of an air of palpable intimidation, last Wednesday, at the first meeting of Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, presided over by Mrs Amina Zakari, as the contentious issue of the harassment of RECs by the Department of State Service, DSS, could not be discussed.

We’re ready to partner with you, Buratai tells DSS

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment and determination to carry out its constitutional roles of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation even as he solicited the cooperation and support from the Department of State Security Service (DSS).

NIMASA: DSS may take over investigations from EFCC

 The Department of State Services, DSS, is set to take over investigations into the affairs of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, under its immediate past Director-General, Dr. Patrick Akpobokemi, from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.