7 controversial acts of sacked DSS boss Lawal Daura

It has taken the sack of Lawal Daura as head of the Department of State Security to look back at his recent past. His sack is controversial, coming after a siege by DSS agents on the National Assembly early Tuesday. But it also brings to mind five top controversies that have trailed his headship of […]

It has taken the sack of Lawal Daura as head of the Department of State Security to look back at his recent past.

His sack is controversial, coming after a siege by DSS agents on the National Assembly early Tuesday.

But it also brings to mind five top controversies that have trailed his headship of the agency.

• Journalist Jones Abiri’s arrest in July 2016 and detention without trial. Abiri has only recently been arraigned, two years after his disappearance. His mother initiated a controversial plea that shocked the country.
• The re-arrest of former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki on 29 december in 2015, after he was granted a court bail. Dasuki has since not been released.
• Re-arresting Dasuki on the 29th day of December, 2015 after he was initially granted bail by the court. Dasuki has since not been released despite court orders.
• Continued detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN),Ibrahim el-Zakzaky after a military attack on his house in Zaria, Kaduna State in December, 2015
• The DSS on June 22 raided the home of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe after his arrest on allegations of gun-running and sponsoring Indigenous People of Biafra.
• In April 2017, DSS recruitment was greeted with controversy over claims of lopsidedness
• In the wee hours of October 8, 2016 DSS invaded homes of judges accused of corruption. None of the judges was eventually found guilty in court
• In March 2017, DSS sent a security report to the Senate discrediting the Acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu and detailing corruption allegation as reason why he is unfit for confirmation as substantive chairman.