
Lai Mohammed
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said that the State Security Service (SSS) carried out another raid on its data center in Lagos yesterday night.
It would be recalled that during the November incident, the data
agents and security guards were arrested by the operatives who stormed
the premises without the search warrant.
The security officials insisted that the service received a petition
that the building was being used to clone INEC voter card, which forced
them to check the information.
Meanwhile the APC characterized the move as an attempt to intimidate their party ahead of the 2015 elections.
The situation causes hot discussions among the Nigerians and in the political circles.
Today, December 2, the security officers raided the office once
again, Premium Times reports with reference to the APC statement issued
by the party National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed in Abuja.
“The raid by over 40 armed DSS officers, despite a court order
restraining the service from such action, shows that the DSS considers
itself to be above the laws of the land, and this is totally
condemnable.
“Even under a PDP government that has nothing but contempt for
constitutional order, the lack of respect for a court order by an
institution of state like the DSS has plumbed the depth of anomie, and
shows that our democracy is in clear and present danger from
anarchists.”
The party disclosed that the operatives shoved the security personnel
at the building aside, broke into the storage facility and carted away
over 30 bags filled with the APC membership registration forms.
“It is sensible to conclude that the DSS’ second raid was its own
crude reaction to the challenge we posed to it. Apparently yet to find
any evidence of PVC cloning as alleged by the DSS, it is now quite
desperate to manufacture evidence to justify its raids. Or how else does
one explain the claim by the service that its ‘findings’ will shock
Nigerians, even at a time it is still in search of evidence? Is this how
self-respecting intelligence agencies conduct their operations?”
The APC described such behaviour as “harassment” of the
party lamenting that instead of directing effort at fight against
terrorism the intelligence is used to “terrorize” the opposition.
“It is time to call the DSS to order, and to remind those at the
helms of affairs that while they may be having a free rein today, they
will one day rue their actions at this critical time in our nation’s
history.”
The APC recalled that according to the November 26 court order the
DSS were not allowed to seal off the data centre. According to them, the
DSS now were acting as if they were above the law.
The party blamed the lack of legislative order on the years of ruling of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The Lagos chapter of the APC confirmed the development warning that
such actions by the security agencies might seriously damage “our hard
earned democracy”.
“Despite the public outcry and opprobrium that followed Saturday
November 22 invasion of APC Data Centre in Lagos and a Court order
asking DSS to release those arrested, 40 DSS officers returned yesterday
night to further vandalize the office and took away 30 bags containing
vital documents. This frightening and fragrant display of impunity,
brute force and disobedience of Court order portends grave danger to our
now fragile polity and it may brutally affect the 2015 General
elections if the ruling party, police or DSS are not called to order.”
They once again inquired why the DSS had not come up with any
“findings” after the first raid but still keep the APC’s documentation.
“We are still at a loss that more than two weeks after the first
invasion, DSS has not told the world what its findings are, why it is
still detaining workers of the Data Centre, and why it is still keeping
the APC computers and vital documents.”
The Lagos chapter however urged the party supporters to remain calm
in the face of the provocations and concluded the statement as follows.
“We shall overcome. We will defeat impunity. We will defeat
political corruption. We will defeat abuse of power and political
brigandage. We will liberate Nigeria in the fullness of time. When a
drowning man is holding on to something he may never let go until his
hands are cut off.”
Meanwhile it was reported yesterday that a Lagos Federal High Court
ordered the release of 5 APC staff members detained during the first
raid.