BY AUSTIN AJAYI, YOLA – The Department of State Security (DSS) has arrested and detained the former Chief Security Officer to former Governor Murtala Nyako over a civil matter.
The arrested retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Sheriff Rabiu served Nyako when he was governor of Adamawa State.
Checks indicate that ACP Rabiu (rtd) is being detained by the DSS since Friday night following a petition by Sebore Farms Limited belonging to former Governor Nyako and his family through its lawyers, A.S Mohammed.
In the petition addressed to the Director of DSS, Adamawa State command, the petitioner stated that; “Sheriff Rabiu was instructed by Sebore Farms to buy a landed property at the cost of N80 million but allegedly changed the agreement to Ashran Nigeria Limited, a company, the complainant believed belongs to Rabiu”.
But in a letter addressed to the Adamawa DSS Director challenging the invitation extended to Sheriff Rabiu and subsequent detention, the lawyer to Rabiu, Gabriel Adiku Esq, told the DSS that its invitation and detention of Rabiu was pure abuse of power.
In the letter obtained by Forefront News Adiku declared; “this act of the complainant prostituting between security agencies is strange as bringing the same matter which is before the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) before you is an abuse of the law,” he stressed.
Adiku told journalist in Yola that his client, Rabiu’s ordeal is a clear case of abuse and show of power, adding that the administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) which was domesticated in Adamawa state in 2018 prohibits security agencies including the police and DSS from getting involved in civil cases and/or detaining suspects in that regards.
He also said that besides, the case being a civil matter which is in the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts, is currently being investigated by the police.
Adiku further said; “It is curious why the same complaint was made to the DSS in spite of its lack of jurisdiction to entertain such complaints. More so, the national agencies act which establishes the State Security Services in section 2 (3) clearly provides thus: (a) the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime the internal security of Nigeria; (b) the protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning internal security of Nigeria,” he said.
Attempts made to get the reaction of the DSS on the matter were unsuccessful, as officers contacted told our correspondent to wait until Monday.
