DSS Invades Ekiti Assembly, Four Members Declared Missing

Armed operatives of the Department of Security Services (DSS) have invaded the Ekiti State House of Assembly complex in a commando-like manner. The invasion,which took place on Friday, made members and staff of the Assembly to scamper for safety.

The Speaker of the House, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, who confirmed the incident at a press conference yesterday, said the operation lasted for about 50 minutes, adding that since then the whereabouts of four of his colleagues is still unknown.

“It was only this morning that we were able to establish that Hon. Afolabi Akanni, representing Efon Constituency was abducted and taken to Abuja. The whereabouts of three other members is still unknown as we speak, and reasons for the invasion and abduction of our members are still not clear,” he said.

He described the action of the DSS officers as “ barbaric and attempt to coerce some members to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose and his Deputy, Dr. Kolapo Olusola,”

The Speaker said it was unfortunate that the agency allowed itself to be used by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government to destabilise the Ekiti State Government.

He alleged that the invasion was part of a plot to forcefully conscript 18 members of the Assembly to initiate impeachment notice against Governor Fayose, who has been critical of the Federal Government.

He said, “We got it on good authority that the script now being acted by the DSS is part of the APC and President Buhari’s clandestine plot to cripple the Ekiti State Government by arresting and detaining top functionaries of the government.”

Noting that the Ekiti Command of the DSS denied involvement in the invasion, he said there are suspicions that those who carried out the arrest came from Abuja.

But efforts by The Guardian to confirm the allegation about those responsible for the act failed, as nobody from the state DSS Ekiti Command was ready to volunteer information.

He, however, vowed that the alleged plot to impeach Fayose would fail, as “the same tactics used ten years ago to truncate democracy in Ekiti State will not work this time. We therefore wish to tell the APC agents of political instability that this time around, this House of Assembly will not be available for any ungodly use.”