DSS vacates EFCC Lagos office, denies siege reports
Department of State Services (DSS) has vacated its occupation of the Lagos Office of the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), since Tuesday.
The siege by the DSS also stopped personnel of the EFCC from accessing its offices, following the unannounced show of force and barricade.
However, reacting to reports that its operatives barricaded the EFCC Lagos office and disrupted work at the agency’s complex, for hours, the DSS denied the claims, as it insisted that it ‘only occupied its own office.’
Spokesperson for the Service, Dr Peter Afunanya, Tuesday, said the DSS was occupying ‘its own facility’ where it was carrying out an operation.
“It is not correct that the DSS barricaded EFCC from entering its office. No. It is not true. The Service is only occupying its own facility where it is carrying out its official and statutory responsibility.
“By the way, there is no controversy over No 15A Awolowo Road as being insinuated by the Media. Did the EFCC tell you it is contesting the ownership of the building? I will be surprised if it is contesting the ownership. Awolowo Road was NSO headquarters. SSS/DSS started from there. It is a common knowledge. It is a historical fact. Check it out.
“There is no rivalry between the Service and the EFCC over and about anything. Please do not create any imaginary ones. They are great partners working for the good of the nation. Dismiss any falsehood of a fight,” the DSS spokesperson said.
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had weighed in on the Tuesday incident, as he directed the DSS operatives to leave the EFCC premises, assuring that issues in contention between the two agencies ‘would be resolved amicably.’
The President directive was contained in a statement issued by Tunde Rahman, Tuesday.
“The President gave the directive when reports that DSS officials stormed the EFCC office located on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday, preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from accessing their work place, was brought to his attention.
“The President said if there were issues between the two important agencies of government, they would be resolved amicably.”
Both agencies, according to reports, have been in loggerheads over ownership of the building.
The EFCC had early Tuesday raised the alarm that operatives of the DSS taken over its Lagos Office causing disruptions in the hours-long siege, just as it further said many detained suspects were affected as a result of the surprise siege by the security agents.
DSS had stormed the Lagos office of the EFCC and prevented officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi, Lagos, while they occupied the complex for undisclosed purposes.
A source disclosed that the DSS operatives stormed the office building and placed an armoured personnel carrier in front of the complex to prevent EFCC staff from accessing their offices.
Reacting to the incident, EFCC in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, described the siege as shocking, saying it has wilder implications on Nigeria’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
“The operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrived at their office on No. 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, this morning, May 30, 2023, to be denied entry by agents of the Department of State Services, DSS, who had barricaded the entrance with armoured personnel carriers.
“This development is strange to the Commission given that we have cohabited with the DSS in that facility for 20 years without incident.
“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted.
“Cases scheduled for court hearing today have been aborted, while many suspects who had been invited for questioning are left unattended.
“Even more alarming is that suspects in detention are left without care with grave implications for their rights as inmates.
“All of these have wilder implications for the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes.
“The siege is inconsistent with the synergy expected of agencies working for the same government and nation, especially when there are ongoing discussions on the matter,” the statement read.
Yusuf Magaji Bichi is the Director-General of DSS, while Abdulrasheed Bawa is the Chairman of EFCC.
Clashes between both agencies are not new, as they have a history friction in their operations in the country.
