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| DSS And EFCC |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has described as imaginary the reported feud between the Commission and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The EFCC was reacting to a report captioned, "DSS, EFCC In Fresh Face-off Over Invitation of SSS operatives”, which appeared in the Sunday Tribune newspaper of November 5, 2017.
The Commission in a release by its Media and Publicity department said while it is not out of place for the EFCC to invite officers of other law enforcement agencies alleged to be complicit in any case being investigated for questioning, there are protocols to follow.
The anti-graft agency said that it has had to request for the release of officers of almost all the security agencies during the course of its investigation of the Dasukigate, but only the DSS has refused to honour such requests.
It also pointed out that the claim in the said report about a revenge-instigated investigation against the DSS is mischievous as well as misleading.
The statement reads in part, “The report written by a certain Taiwo Adisa painted a picture of an imaginary feud brewing between the Department of State Services (DSS) and EFCC over the alleged invitation of some DSS operatives, which it claimed was an attempt by the Commission to“rubbish the Service since the DSS was not answerable to the EFCC.”
"It is important to state that it is not strange for the EFCC to invite (for questioning) officers of other law enforcement agencies alleged to be complicit in any case being investigated by the Commission.
But there are protocols in doing this; and part of that protocol is to write to the heads of such agencies, requesting that the officer(s) in question be released to be interviewed.
"In the course of investigating the arms procurement scandal in the Office of the former National Security Adviser, ONSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, the Commission has had cause to request the release of officers of other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Airforce, the Nigerian Navy and now the DSS, for questioning. All but the DSS have acceded to this request.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the arms procurement investigation is national in outlook with alleged culprits cutting across the military, security establishments as well as the political class. It is not targeted at any institution.
"Consequently, the insinuation about a revenge-instigated investigation of the DSS by the EFCC over its role in the Senate refusal to confirm Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of the EFCC, is not only specious, but pure mischief contrived for motives that are unclear.”
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