Lagos Assembly Crisis: DSS demands retraction, apology from TV Stations

The Legal Counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a notice to two television stations, namely Da’ar Communications Plc (aka AIT) and Channels Television, as well as other media platforms, demanding an apology and retraction of reports purporting that their operatives invaded the Lagos Assembly on Monday.

In a letter dated February 17, 2025, entitled “False, Defamatory and Malicious Publication Concerning the State Security Service (aka DSS) Regarding Their Presence at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, February 17, 2025,” the Service, through its legal team, Adedipe and Adedipe, demanded a retraction of the story and an apology.

According to the Counsel, even when it was clear that following fears that hoodlums could attack the lawmakers, it was the Clerk of the Assembly who invited DSS and police personnel to help secure the Assembly, the media houses nonetheless ran reports that their operatives invaded the Assembly Gestapo style.

The Service gave the media organizations seven days to run apologies in their respective news channels five times a day for three consecutive days or face legal action.

Recall that the media outfits alleged that the Secret Service stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly to disrupt the business of the House, contrary to fact that the DSS was invited to carry out its statutory duties.