The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, and Transparency International, TI, Nigeria, has asked the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, to investigate activities of its officers who are intimidating and profiling civil society organizations, CSOs, during Yuletide.
This is contained in a letter by CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani titled, “Intimidation and Profiling of Civil Society Groups During the Yuletide” and addressed to the DSS DG dated December 29, 2021.
According to Rafsanjani, operatives purported to be those of the Services laid siege on CISLAC office on Monday, December 27, 2021 demanding to see the Chief Security Officer.
The letter added that although worried that the day of the siege did not only fall on Yuletide period but also declared by the federal government as public holiday, one of the operative that dropped his phone number confirmed that he is an agent of the Service.
CISLAC called on the DSS DG “to use your good office to put an end to this trend of shrinking civic space and the ongoing attempt to weaken democratic institutions to which the civil society community represents an aspect.”
Read the letter below:
On Monday the 27th of December 2021, Operatives of your agency, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) stormed the premises of our office, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, the National Chapter of Transparency International, TI Nigeria at No 16 POW Mafemi Crescent, Off Solomon Lar Way, Jabi.
Laying siege, the operatives demanded to see the Chief Security Officer of the building.
On learning about this, our initial thought was that these were individuals masquerading as DSS agents considering the fact that this was not just during the holiday period, but it was on a day declared as a public holiday by the federal government of Nigeria. This thought was further reinforced by the fact that there was no prior notice, invitation or pending request from your office regarding any of such visit.
However, when we put a call through to the number dropped with our office security personnel, an individual further confirmed that he was an agent of your agency providing details of his position.
Sir, considering recent activities of criminals using official security covers to perpetrate wanton criminalities in the recent past, we want you to use your good office to investigate those who carried out this visit and for what purpose(s).
We will also request that you call these operatives to order and charge them to be civil in their approach and not militarize our nascent democracy.
At this point, we cannot jump into conclusion as to the exact reasons behind this gestapo approach; however, this kind of unprofessional visits clearly violates existential rights guaranteed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and puts the country on a global map of ‘bad policing’ and seen shrinking voices of citizens demanding for good governance in the interest of all. Visits like these further feed fears that the country is gradually snowballing into autocracy with the regular abuse of powers from those parading themselves as agents of the state.
As an organization, we believe in the rule of law. We have complied with all statutes and thereby have not violated any law. We urge you to use your good office to put an end to this trend of shrinking civic space and the ongoing attempt to weaken democratic institutions to which the civil society community represents an aspect.
We look forward to your immediate intervention.
