The Department of State Security, DSS, has refuted media reports that its armed operatives on Tuesday forcefully took over the premises of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
The DSS also denied that its operatives prevented officials of EFCC from gaining entrance into their Ikoyi, Lagos office.
This comes after several reports of noticeable tension early Tuesday morning in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State when some armed operatives of the DSS were said to have barricaded the entrance leading to the EFCC zonal office in Lagos.
In a statement signed by the Security Agency’s Public Relation Officer, Dr. Peter Afunanya disclosed that the DSS operatives were carrying out an official duty in the building.
The DSS spokesperson said: “The attention of the Department of State Services, DSS, has been drawn to some media reports that it barricaded the EFCC from entering its Lagos office.
“It is not correct that the DSS barricaded EFCC from entering its office. No. It is not true”.
He also added that 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 common knowledge. It is a historical fact. Check it out”, the spokesperson agitated.
Afunanya further stressed that there is no rivalry between the service and the EFCC over anything and pleaded with the public not to create an imaginary one.
Credible News reports that on Tuesday around 7:00 am, operatives of DSS stormed the Lagos office of EFCC preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi, Lagos despite dialogue between operatives of both agencies.
