Aleke Aleke in Abuja
A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), the Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA), has lauded the Department of State Services (DSS) for its continued patriotic contributions to national stability and its ongoing fight against banditry and terrorism.
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The DSS plays a crucial role in maintaining national stability and security in Nigeria, working to detect and prevent threats. Their efforts have been recognised by various groups, including recent commendations for rescuing kidnapped individuals and compensating victims of mistaken identity.
Meanwhile, the Northern Ethnic Youth Group Assembly (NEYGA) regrets that some unpatriotic elements have launched a campaign to impugn the integrity of the DSS with the aim of inciting the public against the agency.
A statement by the spokesperson of the organisation, Ibrahim Dan-Musa, said: “We read stories quoting some phantom local hunters on the alleged misuse of sophisticated telephone tracking technology by some DSS operatives.
The report alleged that technology intended for rescuing kidnap victims was instead being used by some DSS operatives to extort money from criminals in exchange for concealing their locations.
“While we do not, and certainly cannot, hold a brief for the DSS, we, however, dare say, without fear of contradiction, that such stories were conjured to give the agency a bad name. We aren’t surprised that this falsehood is coming from the same self-styled activist who falsely accused the DSS of abducting a civil rights activist to please certain political interests. He has since disowned the said activist and publicly apologized for his unfounded allegations against the northern governor.
“The said activist, in a viral video, falsely accused the DSS of storming the Federal High Court on the day the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned former Governor Yahaya Bello. It turned out that no single DSS operative was anywhere near the court on the said day. “We can’t thank President Bola Tinubu enough for appointing a thoroughbred professional like Tosin Ajayi as Director General of the DSS,” the statement said.
The group noted that, given the exploits of the DSS since Ajayi took charge, Nigerians are proud to say that President Tinubu made a great choice.
“We, in the North, are particularly happy with how the DSS is working tirelessly to make the North and the rest of Nigeria safe. Very recently, Governors Dauda Lawal and Ahmadu Fintiri of Zamfara and Adamawa States, respectively, publicly commended the agency for not only seizing a large cache of arms, arresting or neutralizing a large number of bandits and kidnappers, but also for securing the release of kidnapped Roman Catholic priests,” the CSO said.
