A combined team of security operatives from the Directorate of State
Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Navy yesterday morning raided the Lagos office
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and arrested about 26 persons, party
officials and eyewitnesses said.
During the raid on the party’s office at Bola Ajibola Street in Ikeja, that lasted almost two hours, the security men also vandalized computers and other office equipment, APC said.
During the raid on the party’s office at Bola Ajibola Street in Ikeja, that lasted almost two hours, the security men also vandalized computers and other office equipment, APC said.
Eyewitnesses said the team arrived at the area around 6.30am in about
five unmarked vehicles, wearing Nigerian Navy camouflage and DSS uniforms,
before making their way in after rounding up security men guarding the
premises.
The Nigerian Navy has, however, denied taking part in the operation, promising to investigate allegations of involvement by its personnel, but the DSS confirmed the raid.
The Nigerian Navy has, however, denied taking part in the operation, promising to investigate allegations of involvement by its personnel, but the DSS confirmed the raid.
APC, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed, said members of the security team were drafted from Abuja on the
orders of President Goodluck Jonathan to carry out assignment which the APC
said was reminiscent of the infamous 1972 Watergate scandal in the United
States.
Mohammed said 23 data agents of the party and three security guards who were working inside the building which served as the party’s data centre were whisked away after the raid, describing the operation as an act of “terror and brigandage was unleashed on a legitimate operation of a leading national party.”
“They came without a search warrant for the premises. Over 50 security operatives drafted from Abuja operations blocked the two major street entrances to the APC data entry centre, pulled down the gates and spent over 2 hours ransacking and vandalizing the centre.
‘’More than a dozen computers were destroyed. The server was also vandalized along with other equipment in the building. Just like the Watergate scandal in the USA, the state-sponsored security operatives apparently acting at the behest of the ruling PDP government turned the office upside down, and pulled out and vandalized everything in sight,” he said.
‘’Saturday’s attack is another one in the string of attacks and illegal actions of the PDP-led administration. The attack was unwarranted and unjustifiable. To attack one of the offices of the opposition party, APC, where legitimate operations of the party were being undertaken is an act of fascism and totalitarianism. To the point of brigandage, the invasion of the APC centre is an assault on the APC and its entire membership across the country. It must not go unpunished,’’ APC said
The party said that it had received prior information about an impending attack on a purported secret warehouse belonging to one of its leaders Bola Tinubu, but its dismissed it because there was no such secret facility.
“We dismissed such plan because there was no ‘secret warehouse’ anywhere and also because we never imagined that the government will attack the offices of an opposition party in a constitutional democracy. Obviously, we underestimated the desperation of the Jonathan administration and its worsening proclivity to impunity.
However, the Nigerian Navy yesterday denied that it officers took part in the operation at the APC office, saying it was non-partisan and would investigate allegations of its personnel’s involvement.
A statement issued by the Command Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Abdulsalam Sani, said the Navy had not deployed any of its personnel to any political party’s office.
“I want to assure you that the Nigerian Navy has zero tolerance to indiscipline and unruly behaviours to the general public. If confirmed that Nigerian Navy personnel are involved in this undesirable behaviours they will be sanctioned and appropriate punishment will be awarded.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed the raid, saying it was conducted based on a tip-off that some persons were using the office to hack into the system of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce permanent voter’s register.
She said the operation was supported by an appropriate search warrant.
“A source sent a petition to us that they were using that office to corrupt INEC computer systems and hack into the network so that they can replicate permanent voter’s cards.
“We watched the place for two weeks and got a valid warrant from the court to search the office. When we got there, we saw over 50 computers.
“The building in question has no signboard indicating that it is APC office. We monitored the place for about two weeks after the petition before we got in. When we got in today (Saturday), we saw over 50 computer sets with about 18 staff.
“Other political parties have signboards and signposts indicating that it is their office. There was nothing indicating that it belonged to a political party.”
Mohammed said 23 data agents of the party and three security guards who were working inside the building which served as the party’s data centre were whisked away after the raid, describing the operation as an act of “terror and brigandage was unleashed on a legitimate operation of a leading national party.”
“They came without a search warrant for the premises. Over 50 security operatives drafted from Abuja operations blocked the two major street entrances to the APC data entry centre, pulled down the gates and spent over 2 hours ransacking and vandalizing the centre.
‘’More than a dozen computers were destroyed. The server was also vandalized along with other equipment in the building. Just like the Watergate scandal in the USA, the state-sponsored security operatives apparently acting at the behest of the ruling PDP government turned the office upside down, and pulled out and vandalized everything in sight,” he said.
‘’Saturday’s attack is another one in the string of attacks and illegal actions of the PDP-led administration. The attack was unwarranted and unjustifiable. To attack one of the offices of the opposition party, APC, where legitimate operations of the party were being undertaken is an act of fascism and totalitarianism. To the point of brigandage, the invasion of the APC centre is an assault on the APC and its entire membership across the country. It must not go unpunished,’’ APC said
The party said that it had received prior information about an impending attack on a purported secret warehouse belonging to one of its leaders Bola Tinubu, but its dismissed it because there was no such secret facility.
“We dismissed such plan because there was no ‘secret warehouse’ anywhere and also because we never imagined that the government will attack the offices of an opposition party in a constitutional democracy. Obviously, we underestimated the desperation of the Jonathan administration and its worsening proclivity to impunity.
However, the Nigerian Navy yesterday denied that it officers took part in the operation at the APC office, saying it was non-partisan and would investigate allegations of its personnel’s involvement.
A statement issued by the Command Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Lieutenant Commander Abdulsalam Sani, said the Navy had not deployed any of its personnel to any political party’s office.
“I want to assure you that the Nigerian Navy has zero tolerance to indiscipline and unruly behaviours to the general public. If confirmed that Nigerian Navy personnel are involved in this undesirable behaviours they will be sanctioned and appropriate punishment will be awarded.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed the raid, saying it was conducted based on a tip-off that some persons were using the office to hack into the system of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to produce permanent voter’s register.
She said the operation was supported by an appropriate search warrant.
“A source sent a petition to us that they were using that office to corrupt INEC computer systems and hack into the network so that they can replicate permanent voter’s cards.
“We watched the place for two weeks and got a valid warrant from the court to search the office. When we got there, we saw over 50 computers.
“The building in question has no signboard indicating that it is APC office. We monitored the place for about two weeks after the petition before we got in. When we got in today (Saturday), we saw over 50 computer sets with about 18 staff.
“Other political parties have signboards and signposts indicating that it is their office. There was nothing indicating that it belonged to a political party.”
That is exactly what PDP under Jonathan stand for . They should realize that nobody , is a monopoly of violence
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