Some personnel of the Department of State Services on Tuesday morning barricaded the Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. The EFCC described the development as a siege that disrupted its anti graft activities.
Wilson Uwujaren, the agency’s spokesperson said operatives of its the Lagos Command arrived at their office in Ikoyi on Tuesday to be denied entry by agents of the DSS who had barricaded the entrance with armoured personnel carriers.
“This development is strange to the Commission given that we have cohabited with the DSS in that facility for 20 years without incident”, Uwujaren said.
“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted. Cases scheduled for court hearing today have been aborted, while many suspects who had been invited for questioning are left unattended”, the EFCC spokesperson further said.
But the DSS’ spokesperson, Peter Afunnaya said the agency only “occupied its property to carry out its official and statutory responsibility”.
Afunnaya in a statement said: “It is not correct that the DSS barricaded Efcc from entering its office. No. It is not true. The Service is only occupying its own facility where it is carrying out its official and statutory responsibility.
“By the way, there is no controversy over No 15A Awolowo Road as being insinuated by the Media. Did the efcc tell you it is contesting the ownership of the building? I will be surprised if it is contesting the ownership. Awolowo Road was NSO headquarters. SSS/DSS started from there. It is a common knowledge. It is a historical fact. Check it out.
There is no rivalry between the Service and the EFCC over and about anything.
Please do not create any imaginary one. They are great partners working for the good of the nation. Dismiss any falsehood of a fight. “
But the fact on ground at the facility is contrary to Afunnaya’s claim. The main gate leading to the facility was barricaded with two Armoured Personnel Carriers from inside. It was gathered that the DSS agents accessed the facility from another entrance very early in the day and blocked the access to prevent the EFCC operatives and other visitors including suspects from gaining access to the building which is said to have been a subject of controversy between the two federal agencies.
The EFCC personnel and others were seen standing outside the building discussing the development in hushed tones but would not grant interviews to inquisitive reporters. Some of the DSS agents fired gunshots into the air to scare away some journalists and television camera crews who were at the facility to report the development.
Mr Uwujaren said the barricade of the building by the DSS was more shocking because “there are ongoing discussions on the matter.”
