Governor says DSS’ raid on judges is a national disaster

chika ebuzor

November 24, 2016 5:21 AM

Governor Wike also said that the constitutional responsibility of the DSS is internal security.

The Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike

Governor Nyesom Wike has described the raid on the homes of some Supreme Court judges by the Department of State Services (DSS), as a national disaster.

Wike made this submission through the Commissioner of Justice in Rivers State, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma (SAN) at a hearing organised by the National Assembly to investigate the alleged invasion.

He also alleged that the DSS operatives claimed to be acting on orders from above, adding that they did not know which house to raid.

According to the Governor, “Nobody is out to defend ‘rogue’ Judges, but things must be done within the ambit of law.”

Aguma said “The Governor was taken aback by the presence of so many DSS operatives and His Excellency queried the propriety of invading the Judges’ residences at such an unholy hour.

“His Excellency was not aware of the particular Judge whose property the armed men were invading or to arrest, but was baffled that it took such huge number of operatives to arrest a Judge or Judges.

“This put the Governor on enquiry as His Excellency doubted the propriety, legality and legitimacy of the action.”

The Rivers law officer also told the lawmakers that a junior DSS officer harassed and threatened to shoot Governor Wike.

He said “That same Operative assaulted His Excellency, the Governor, in the presence of his superiors who have not disciplined the said Operative till date”.

“The lawless conduct of the DSS operatives and police officers in the full glare of a large crowd that had now gathered created doubts in His Excellency, the Governor as to the true reason/objective of the Security Officers.

“His Excellency’s suspicions were heightened by the fact that the so-called ‘SSS Operatives’ did not even know the particular residence of the Judge they had come to arrest.

“This seemed strange as the DSS office in Port Harcourt shares a boundary fence with the residence of one of the Judges.”

According to Daily Post, Governor Wike told the lawmakers that the constitutional responsibility of the DSS is internal security.

Adding that “Every other responsibility, whether under the Act or the instrument, revolves around internal security of the nation. It is an intelligence gathering agency.

“It is, therefore, outside the duties of the DSS to dabble into the traditional roles of the Police Force in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime, and the maintenance of law and order, where such crime or acts do not threaten the internal security of the nation."

Governor Wike also alleged that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi is planning to rig the Rivers rerun election.

chika ebuzor