According to the Department of State Services (DSS), after rounds of rumors have been circulating that the agency does not kidnap or terrorise Nigerians but is rather looking for ways to keep them safe at all times.
The group was replying to a claim made in a statement by Amnesty International reported that the DSS of the current administration was abducting innocent Nigerian citizens.
However, Dr. Peter Afunanya, the DSS spokesman, cleared the organization of any role in the kidnapping in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement partly reads: ‘The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to a false publication by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, in which it quoted Amnesty International (AI) as stating that SSS abduct innocent Nigerians under Buhari regime.’
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‘Whether reported by Peoples Gazette or Amnesty International, the Service outrightly denies this misleading narrative. It does not abduct Nigerians.
‘As part of its enforcement activities, the DSS arrests when, where and if necessary. This is evidently carried out in line with tenets of democratic ideals.
‘At no time has the agency embarked on its actions without following laid down procedures in respect of obtaining warrants of arrest or orders for detention from competent legal authorities. The claim of abduction or use of enforced disappearances is an absolute lie and a make-up narrative designed to bring the Service to disrepute.
‘The DSS is law-abiding and committed to the protection of citizens and sensitive government installations. In doing this, it will continue to discharge its mandate of intelligence collection and timely dissemination of same to relevant action agencies and stakeholders.
‘Public attention should, however, be drawn to the deliberate and determined efforts of the publisher of Peoples Gazette, Samuel Ogundipe, to use his platform to undermine law and order. He is known to have, on several occasions, engaged in false and distorted publications to disinform the public. He and his cohorts are hereby warned, for the umpteenth time, to desist from these deplorable acts against the peace and security of the nation. It is time for Ogundipe and the likes to choose reason over fatuity; and patriotism over disloyalty and treachery. Their continuous mischievous resolve to use fake news and hate speech to set the country on fire is condemnable.
‘Media practitioners in the country should rise above parochial considerations, sanitize its fold, and fish out quacks among them. The media can also peer review and embark on self-censorship as part of achieving professionalism in the industry.
‘They must reject the allure of enticement by external forces to use them to instigate violence or undermine government and its institutions. Otherwise, those who run foul of the law must be ready to face justice either now or in the future,’ DSS warned.
With the rumored flying that the DSS used its influence to threaten and abduct people, the DSS has refuted the accusation.
