NASS Blockage: Police Indict Sacked DSS Boss, Daura

• Seeks Presidency’s approval to rein in suspects

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris has confirmed the widely-speculated conspiracy theories in the National Assembly barricade, accusing sacked Director General of State Security Services (SSS), Lawal Daura, of conniving with some unidentified top politicians to embarrass the Federal Government.

In a damning five-page interim report to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the IGP also accused Daura of illegally using his position to conspire with DSS operatives and act “like mercenaries hire to carry out execution…”

The Police boss therefore sought the President’s permission to search the house of the former DSS chief and those of politicians who allegedly acted in cohort with him in last Tuesday’s embarrassing siege on the NASS complex.

In accusing the intelligence officer of conspiring with armed masked men to whip up sentiments against the federal government, Idris said from statements made by the sacked DSS Director General during interrogation, it is possible that he acted the script of “highly-placed politicians”.

Similarly, the report confirmed that Daura is currently kept in a police facility within Garki district of Abuja and undergoing further interrogation to extract more information on how and the reasons for directing his men to lockdown the Assembly.

The IGP also disclosed that the ex-Secret Service Chief claimed his hooded strike force had to move into NASS based on intelligence indicating some unnamed persons were planning to smuggle arms into the national assembly on the said date.

Accordingly, the IGP’s report stated that; “The principal suspect, Mr. Lawal Musa Daura, was formally arrested and interrogated in line with the allegation made against him.”

It further said; “Following the interrogation by our intelligence operatives, the following facts emerged:

“That on 7/8/2018, the suspect Lawal Musa Daura illegally used his position as the then director general of Department of State Security Service conspired with his officers and men who wore hoods and masks, invaded the national assembly complex thereby preventing and forcing the peaceful members and staff of the national assembly from gaining access to the complex without any element of crime committed or an invitation by the leadership of the national assembly.

“That the primary suspect. Mr Lawal Daura, illegally used his position as the then director-general of the Department of State Services to conspire with his officers and men who wore hoods and masks to invade the National Assembly Complex, thereby preventing members of the national assembly from gaining access to the complex without any element of crime committed.”

Noting that “The DSS personnel acted like mercenaries hire to carry out execution…”, IGP Idris said; “There is need to search the houses and premises of all the identified suspects. All communication gadgets such as computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices of the suspects will be thoroughly analysed.”

The Police boss however pleaded with the Acting President to direct the release of all those who partook in the operation to the Nigeria police for interrogation.

“It is crystal clear that the principal suspect Lawal Daura may be acting the script of some highly placed politicians to achieve some selfish political goals hence his unilateral and unlawful decision to invade the National Assembly complex,” he wrote.

“As it stands, the principal suspect Lawal Daura is undergoing further interrogation at our facility and is currently placed on house arrest at a private property awaiting further directives from Your Excellency.”