The attempt to use SSS and Police to cow Opposition shall fail Category: ARTICLES Published on Friday, 24 January 2014 20:11 Written by Okoi Obono-Obla It is clear to discerning observers that the Directorate of State Security, DSS, just like the Nigeria Police Force has been turned into instruments for the intimidation and harassment of the opposition especially opponents of the Jonathans presidency. Otherwise how do one explain the storming of the private residence of the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Malam Nasir El-Rufai by a contingent of operatives of the DSS brandishing lethal weaponry to arrest him without a warrant this afternoon for allegedly saying that there will be violence if the 2015 general election is rigged. Of course what El-Rufai said is a statement of fact. Undoubtedly Nigerians will not tolerate rigging of election again under any guise. Nigerians will not brook electoral heist and brigandage again. Nigerians will not tolerate imposition of leaders. Nigerians must be given the unfettered opportunity to choose their leaders. Enough is enough. The move to arrest El-Rufai is an attempt to use state apparatuses to cow the opposition. But we shall never cringed because of intimidation and oppression by the SSS and the Police. Nigeria must be free come 2015. The SSS and the Police should be ready to open millons of detention centres across the country to arrest all of us who are ready to fight against the dictatorial tendencies of the Jonathans Presidency. They should be ready because we shall stoutly resist any attempt by PDP in collusion with the Police, INEC and SSS to cook election results again. The days of electoral robbery is over. When Asari Dokubo threatened that there shall be no Nigeria if Jonathan did not win the 2015 election, where was the SSS? When the grand old Ijaw Ethnic irredentist, Chief Edwin Clark arrogantly threatened that there will be War if Jonathan loses the general election of 2015, the SSS buried it head inside the ground like the famed ostrich bird! When the former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife loudly but thoughtlessly boasted that Nigeria will break if Jonathan is not allowed to contest the general election of 2015, the SSS unabashedly turned a blind eye to the treason able and provocative statement. These people who have been threatening national security are well known couriers of the Jonathan s presidency and so they carry on as if they are above the law. Dokubu, Clark and Ezeife are certainly above the law because they are supporters of Jonathan. This kind of double standard being exhibited by the SSS and the Police rankles and constitutes a threat to democracy. The same scenario is enacted in Rivers State where supporters of Jonathan and the PDP are free to assembly and hold marches and rallies but not supporters of the opposition. I strongly condemn the harassment and intimidation of El-Rufai by the DSS and call on the Director General of the SSS to call his men to order. Under the National Security Act, the SSS is barred from arresting anybody without a warrant. It follows that the attempt to arrest El-Rufai without a warrant for exercising his fundamental right to expression and thought as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and international law is the height of impunity and therefore illegal. I call on the DSS to channel its energy and resources in fighting the murderous rampage of Boko Haram in the North East and the kidnapping gangs ravaging the South-South and South East Regions rather than harassing innocent members of the opposition for opposing the tyranny of the Federal Government and the PDP. The attempt to use SSS and Police to cow Opposition shall fail elombah/index.php/reports/20336-opposition-cannot-be-intimidated
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 08:40:11 +0000
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