Former Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, has remained in custody since August 7 when he was sacked. He has been allowed access to his two wives and some associates, report says.
Daura was removed from office after DSS operatives blocked the National Assembly, on his directive. But the former security chief, according to one of his associates who visited him, insists that he acted in the national interest.
He also said the decision to deploy operatives in the National Assembly on July 24 was in conjunction with other security agencies.
Daura is being held in a safe house in Abuja, awaiting the Presidency’s decision on the report of the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris who investigated his action.
It was learnt that President Muhammadu Buhari referred the IGP’s report to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for his input.
Some associates of the ex-DSS chief are pushing for Daura’s reinstatement or the removal of National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The former DG is still in a safe house but now with access to his wives, children and associates. He does not know what the presidency has for him. He is awaiting President Buhari’s decision.
"His ultimate desire is to let the President and Nigerians hear his own side of what really transpired on August 7. He is desirous of freedom now. He wants to return to his house.
"There is, however, an uneasy calm in government circle on how the President will resolve the matter. I think he is awaiting a brief from the VP on IGP’s report”, a government source added: “All officials, including ministers, are avoiding talking on Daura to avoid being accused of taking sides.
"We are all divided on this case but we are keeping our opinions to ourselves. We do not know the disposition of the President.”
Meanwhile, in an interim investigation report submitted to the then Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris noted that Daura confessed that he deployed hooded operatives to the Assembly based on intelligence report that some persons were planning to foment trouble.
"The former Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura, acted unilaterally, without informing the Presidency. He did not share or intimate other Security Agencies on the unlawful operations,” Idris wrote in the report.
In new details which emerged on Wednesday, Daura was quoted as making three declarations: (i) That he took all actions in national interest through a collective responsibility, including involvement of principal officers of sister agencies; (ii) that he acted on a higher authority which he relied on to deploy agents at the National Assembly; (iii) that the report submitted by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Idris Ibrahim was totally incorrect.
Narrating the ex-DSS DG side of the story, one of his confidants told PRNigeria, that the sacked official decried that neither was he given query over any issue nor indicted on his handling of affairs of the service until his sack.
The confidant said: “While the former DSS boss has not officially handed over up till now, his house both in Asokoro and Gwarinpa were thoroughly searched in the night and nothing incriminating were found, and all items found including necklace, praying mat, CDs, ATM card, women bags, documents and receipts have been duly returned to him accordingly.”
The source disclosed that when Daura was invited by Osinbajo for the security briefing, he quickly rushed out and left some of his personal belonging including phones in the office. The Daura-born ex-security chief disclosed that when he was whisked away and eventually sacked, he did not know his offence.
"Daura has been completely demoralised by the wide spread insinuations of working for the opposition when he took daring moves to protect the Presidency and the ruling party against the antics of the powerful opposition elements. The allegation of being a mole is utter balderdash!
"Spymasters all over the world can be sacrificed but not to the extent of rubbishing their integrity and reputation on the altar of political considerations, especially a spymaster created by the same system, considering the delicate and sensitive nature of intelligent services,” the source said.
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