DSS’ New War Against Rituals And Political Thuggery

DSS’ New War Against Rituals And Political Thuggery

By Mukhtar Ya’U Madobi

Lately, the public space was flooded with unfortunate news of the sudden disappearance of 23-year old fashion designer, Oluwabamise Ayanwole, who boarded a BRT bus going to Oshodi but later declared missing.

After two days, her mutilated naked corpse was found by the roadside along Ogogoro Community with some body parts missing. This horrific event received condemnation across all the country as the rituals continued with their awful acts without sign of stoppage.

One of the key prime suspect linked to the gruesome murder of Ayanwole was the bus driver, who quickly disappeared from the thin of air as soon as the victim got missing.

On learning about this happening, the Department of State Services, DSS, in its relentless efforts towards ensuring the security and properties of citizens, did not waste time as it swung into action by putting in place all necessary measures to apprehend the fleeing driver.

The secret service quickly mobilized all the available resources comprising both human and logistics within its disposal in tracking down the suspect to Odogboku area of Ogun State where he was finally captured.

Upon his arrest, as part of the interagency collaboration, the service handed him over to the police for further investigations so as to catch the remaining culprits who are still at large.

The swift response by the DSS sets the path clear in getting justice for the victim and the bereaved family.

Not only that, the service has been diligently working behind the scene by putting proactive measures in countering the occurrences of evil acts.

Similarly, the service, within the same period arrested some key political bigwigs for allegedly instigating political violence when Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje visited Rano Local Government Area for the inauguration of All Progressive Congress, APC executive committees for the Kano State south senatorial district.

While having knowledge of the incident, the state command of the service responded by bringing-in the prime suspects for questioning in order to get to the root of the matter.

The two council chairmen arrested are Faizu Alfindiki and Bashir Abdullahi Kutama of Kano municipal and Gwarzo LGAs respectively. In addition, Khalid Ishaq Diso, chairman of Gwale LGA was also placed on the watch list.

Others actors that were also arrested and interrogated are; a governorship aspirant, AbdulSalam Zaura, popularly known as A.A, Zaura, the Managing Director of Kano Road Traffic Agency, Baffa Dan’gundi, and the Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

With these recent developments, the DSS has clearly sent a strong warning to other political major players that the service will not tolerate any attempt to use politics as a vicious tool to create public disorder aimed at raising tension in the society.

It can be recalled that the DSS has been cautioning politicians to stay clear course of their actions in the aspects of politicking without disturbing the public peace.

Back in December 2021, in one of those moments, the image maker of the service, Peter Afunanya, stated that “the service had observed that some persons who are desperately seeking power use wrong and skewed narratives to not only mislead citizens but overheat the polity.”

He also noted that already, such a category of persons were exploiting and politicizing the issue of insecurity in parts of the country for pecuniary and other selfish reasons.

The service, therefore, warns that those who are involved in this evil plot of destabilising the country should desist from such acts. It also enjoins politicians to play by the rule and avoid statements or activities capable of inflaming the fires of division and violence prior to the 2023 elections. “Opinion moulders like the religious and traditional rulers are also to guard their utterances and avoid inciting pronouncements.”

Recently, when reacting to the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu’s unwarranted speech against the DSS, Afunaya also cautioned politicians against unguarded utterances with tendencies to breach public order.

Politicians should therefore always be mindful of the content they release for public consumption, while at the same time putting the interest of national security above all.

Mukhtar is a Staff Writer with Emergency Digest.