8th November, 2022
Nigeria secret police, the Department of State Services, DSS, said it has launched an investigation into claims by an Abuja based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi that its operatives deployed to the Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) are involved in soliciting for money from travelers.
Olajengbesi, who is also an activist, had in a post of his Facebook on Tuesday accused DSS officers deployed to Lagos Airport for vetting of the people coming into the country of abandoning their assigned responsibility to become beggars.
He said people are not being delayed at the airport for ‘security questioning, but with abeg bless your boy’.
Olajengbesi had consequently called on the Director General of DSS call the operatives to order.
His full post reads, “It is actually an embarrassment to the entire Nation to have DSS officers vetting people coming into the country at the Lagos Airport begging for money. One can forgive Immigration and Custom officers because this is simply customary, but that a very important agency like the DSS is shocking.
“This is a wake up call to DG DSS.
“The entire world is moving on from petty irresponsibility, people are not being delayed for security questioning, but with abeg bless your boy.
In response, the DSS, in a statement by Peter Afunaya, its spokesperson said it has launched full investigation into the claim of the lawyer.
The Service therefore invited Olajengbesi and indeed any member of the public with an evidence of the alleged extortion to come forward.
See full statement by the DSS below
DSS INVESTIGATES ALLEGATION OF STAFF CONDUCT AT MMIA LAGOS
The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to the allegation by one Pelumi Olajengbesi that the Service’s personnel at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, engage in unprofessional conduct of sorts.
Consequently, the Service has launched a full investigation into the matter. It further invites Olajengbesi and indeed any member of the public with an evidence in this regard to come forward to the Service with such for appropriate action(s).
Peter Afunanya, Ph.D, fsi
Public Relations Officer
Department of State Services
National Headquarters
Abuja.
8th November, 2022