The Department of State Services (DSS) has proven itself bigger than the Presidency, as it shields the former Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Ita Ekpenyong from being arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ekpenyong had earlier been invited by the EFCC, for his role in the $2.1bn arms deal involving the former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Although, others who were indicted in the arms deal were produced, and had cooperated with the EFCC, during the course of the agency’s investigations, Ekpenyong did not honour the invitation.
Nevertheless, things became sour when operatives of the anti-graft agency, armed with an arrest and search warrants, surrounded Ita’s home and presented the warrant to the armed DSS officials securing the building.
The DSS operatives prevented EFCC operatives from entering the building, saying they were acting on orders from above while threatening to shoot the operatives.
Although the EFCC officials retreated temporarily, both sides refused to back down.
Meanwhile an official of the anti-graft agency said the former DG, DSS is being investigated for offences related to alleged theft and diversion of public funds.
“The suspect in question is not a serving officer of the DSS, which makes this action particularly reprehensible”.
He added that the DSS reinforced its security presence, with an additional of 30 armed operatives, shortly after the EFCC operatives arrived Ekpenyong’s residence.
“The refusal of the DSS operatives to allow the EFCC execute valid search and arrest warrants is really worrisome.
“I don’t know whether it is within their brief to prevent a law enforcement agency from executing arrest or a search warrant on a property belonging to a retired member of staff of the agency”.
Both the EFCC and the DSS are under the Federal Government, with each performing separate functions, with the DSS sometimes encroaching on the jurisdiction of the EFCC.
For example, the EFCC team is supposed to handle the case of Col. Sambo Dasuki since it is related to corruption and other mismanagement, but the DSS team had taken over investigation of the former National Security Adviser, detaining him since 2015 contrary to court rulings to release him on bail.
Ekpenyong was appointed the fifth DG in September 2010, since the civil rule began in 1999. In 2015 however, there were reports that the Federal Government sacked and replaced him with Lawal Daura while others speculated that he resigned.
Duties of the Department of State Services (DSS)
Just like the CIA of the United States, the State Security Service (SSS), self-styled as the Department of State Services (DSS), is the primary domestic intelligence agency of Nigeria.
The function of DSS as defined by Section 2, sub-section 3 of the National Security Agencies Act, Cap. 74, 2004, is limited to crimes, actions that bothers on the internal security of the country such i.e. counter terrorism and counter insurgents
The duties of the National Security Agency which the Defence Intelligence Agency, the National Intelligence Agency and the State Security Service fall under include:
Defence Intelligence Agency
1. The prevention and detection of crime of a military nature against the security of Nigeria.
2. The protection and preservation of all military classified matters concerning the security of Nigeria, both within and outside Nigeria
3. Such other responsibilities affecting defence intelligence of a military nature, both within and outside Nigeria, as the President, or the Chief of Defence Staff, as the case may be, may deem necessary.
National Intelligence Agency
1. The general maintenance of the security of Nigeria outside Nigeria, concerning matters that are not related to military issues
2. Such other responsibilities affecting national intelligence outside Nigeria as the National Defence Councillor the President, as the case may be, may deem necessary.
State Security Service
1. The prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria
2. The protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning the internal security of Nigeria
Such other responsibilities affecting internal security within Nigeria as the National Assembly or the President, as the case may be, may deem necessary.
