DSS acted outside its mandate, says Melaye

The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Dino Melaye, has said although there is the need to rid the judiciary of corruption, the approach adopted by President Muhammadu Buhari was wrong and unacceptable.

Melaye, representing Kogi West on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement yesterday condemned the arrest and invasion of the residences of some judges by the Department of State Services. He said the agency acted outside its core mandate.

According to him: “Although judges have no immunity and could be tried, the use of DSS by government was absolutely wrong and unacceptable.”

He said: “I have studied the Act setting up DSS and Nigerian Intelligence Agency and can conclude that the DSS operatives went outside their core mandate. There is no doubt that many judges are corrupt. It is also important to state the need to sanitise the judiciary of corruption. Judges have no immunity and can be tried and should be tried but the use of DSS is absolutely wrong.