Don’t be used to subvert law, order, DSS warns Daily Trust, others over report on INEC Chairman

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

Critical stakeholders especially the media as concerned with the 2023 transition election process have been warned against the antics of anti-democracy elements, whose intent is to use them to undermine security in the country.

This warning, by the Department of State Services (DSS), was coming on the heels of a 5th January, 2023 online publication by the Daily Trust in which it reported that “Court Stops DSS from Arresting INEC Chairman”.

The Service said the report was not only misleading as, according to it, the newspaper was discovered to have skewed what transpired skewed what transpired during a Court proceeding and reported it out of context and that it became imperative to address the matter because, despite promise to correct the misleading content, the editorial authorities of the newspaper, which though argued that what was published online was different from what was in the hardcopy, did not correct it as promised.

The newspaper, according to the Service whose reaction was to guide the public understanding and perception, said the report is especially misleading as “It falsely left an impression that the Service went to Court against the INEC Chairman”, which it said is not true.

In a statement by its Spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya, copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER on Friday, the DSS said it was aware of the antics of some mischievous elements “who are desirous of fomenting crisis in the country, including creating unnecessary controversies around the forthcoming general elections.”

One of their strategies, Afunanya further pointed out, “is to subvert the efforts of the Service in ensuring peaceful coexistence and harmony. Another is a determination to overheat the polity and subtly exploit the judiciary to distract or even undermine not only the Service but other security and law enforcement agencies from undertaking their constitutional roles.”

Afunanya said, “The DSS, therefore, warns these individuals and groups to desist from their devious plans. It also advises all critical stakeholders to be vigilant and resist attempts to use them to thwart the law.

“While assuring Nigerians and the International Community of the Service’s commitment to the maintenance of law and order, including an accomplishment of a free and fair 2023 election as already pledged by Mr President and Commander-in-Chief, the Service urges all and sundry to join in the pursuit of national stability and unity,” he said.