The Department of State Services, DSS, said on Friday that it is not in court against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
It warned individuals and groups who are bend on creating confusion to desist from their devious plans to subvert the efforts of the Service in ensuring peaceful coexistence and harmony during and after election .
DSS also advises all critical stakeholders to be vigilant and resist attempts to use them to thwart the law.
A statement signed by Peter Afunanya, Ph.D, the Public Relations Officer, Department of State Services, National Headquarters in Abuja said the Service did not drag INEC chairman to Court as portraits by an online report.
DSS said this clarification “became important to guide public understanding and perception,” especially that the misleading report “falsely left an impression that the Service went to Court against the INEC Chairman.”
According to DSS, it’s attention was drawn to a 5th January, 2023 online publication by the Daily Trust in which it reported that “Court Stops DSS from Arresting INEC Chairman.”
“The Service has discovered that the newspaper skewed what transpired at the Court and reported it out of context. It is against this backdrop that the Service pointed out its disapproval to the Editorial authorities of the Newspaper. The outfit, which though argued that what was reported in its online version was different from the hard copy, promised to address the concerns raised but did not.
“Nonetheless, the Service is aware of the antics of some mischievous elements who are desirous of fomenting crisis in the country, including creating unnecessary controversies around the forthcoming general elections.
” One of their strategies is to subvert the efforts of the Service in ensuring peaceful coexistence and harmony. Another is a determination to overheat the polity and subtly exploit the judiciary to distract or even undermine not only the Service but other security and law enforcement agencies from undertaking their constitutional roles.
“The DSS, therefore, warns these individuals and groups to desist from their devious plans. While assuring Nigerians and the International Community of the Service’s commitment to the maintenance of law and order, including an accomplishment of a free and fair 2023 election as already pledged by Mr President and Commander-in-Chief, the Service urges all and sundry to join in the pursuit of national stability and unity.