The Department of State Services, DSS, has advised Nigerians to conduct their activities in ways that promote public peace and safety as it works with sister security agencies to ensure law and order across the country as the holiday season approaches.
The agency also pleaded with community, religious, and political bodies to preach peaceful coexistence, tolerance, and unity, as well as educate their members on safety measures during and after the season, in order to prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of the festivities and wreaking havoc or harming unsuspecting members of the public.
In a statement issued yesterday, DSS spokesman Dr. Peter Afunanya also urged political players to follow the norms of engagement while attending campaign rallies and to avoid fake news, hate speech, violence, and conduct detrimental to national security.
The service also urged socioeconomic sector actors to avoid manipulative tendencies that could result in excessive price increases, artificial scarcity of products/goods, and situations that could lead to heightened tensions.
Afunanya stated that to maintain national stability, the Service will continue to carry out its duties and obligations following global best practices as they influence human rights and the rule of law”. Despite concerted efforts by some interest groups to give the appearance that people apprehended by the Service are either inadequately cared for or are refused access to their relatives and/or legal representation, this is not the case.
It’s worth noting that the Service has a Standard Operating Procedure, SOP, for suspect treatment. It regards this, as well as general suspect care, as sacred and a top priority. Those who have passed through its holding facilities can surely attest to this.
For every suspect under its detention, the Service provides a family and/or legal representative, who fulfilled all the protocols and clearance procedures, access to such a suspect. The public should be aware that the Service does not conduct illegal arrests or enforced disappearances of innocent people. It also does not run illegal detention facilities.
Its operations and activities are governed by legal mechanisms that are transparent and responsible. As a result, the DSS encourages anyone who disagrees with its legal position on problems to seek remedy in court.
