SSS to appeal court judgment for El-Rufai

The Department of State Services (SSS) has decided to Appeal the Court Judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, asking the Service to apologize and pay Nasir El-Rufai N2 million. In a statement today by the spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar said: “some facts may have been inadvertently overlooked and […]

The Department of State Services (SSS) has decided to Appeal the Court Judgment of a Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, asking the Service to apologize and pay Nasir El-Rufai N2 million.

In a statement today by the spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar said: “some facts may have been inadvertently overlooked and will therefore appeal the judgment.”

She added that: “As a responsive Service, we hold the Judiciary and its sanctity in high esteem, but when you disagree with certain pronouncements of Court, you have the right to appeal and in this case, we will appeal.”

“The Instrument setting up the Service and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended gives the Service statutory powers to detain and investigate any suspect for not more than 48 hours before recourse to a Court of Law,” she said.

Ogar further noted that: “In this instance, the complainant was not confined or ‘detained’ for more than two hours. If we cannot intercept, detain and investigate, then we would, with due respect, be operating like any Ministry of the Federal Government.”

“It is also pertinent to clarify that the Service never imposed a general restriction on movement during the elections as averred. It is the duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to take measures necessary for the smooth conduct of any election, and in this case they deemed it proper to restrict movement during voting hours,” she noted.