Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2023, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has decried the resort to military regime tactics against democratic critics of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
He stated this while reacting to the invasion of the Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) office by the Department of State Services (DSS).
DSS operatives had on Monday arrested the president of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on his way to attend the Conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the United Kingdom, which is billed to commence the same day. He was later released.
Similarly, the covert security outfit, also invaded the office of a civil society platform, SERAP yesterday morning in Abuja.
Adebayo, who condemned DSS’ invasion of SERAP office, said Nigeria cannot return to the days of former military president, General Sani Abacha.
On his official X handle, Adebayo wrote: “I am for law enforcement and the rule of law as a matter of instinct. The invasion of the offices of @SERAPNigeria by agents of the @OfficialDSSNG under the administration of @officialABAT calls for immediate and clear explanation. What would Abacha do cannot be the new doctrine!” he said.
Various civil society groups have criticised the security agencies’ invasion of SERAP’s office.
DSS, explaining its rationale for deploying operatives to SERAP offices in Lagos and Abuja on Monday, urged the public to disregard the false narratives and restated its commitment to utmost professionalism in the discharge of its core mandate.
According to the statement, “This narrative is inaccurate and misleading in its intent. For the records, a team of two unarmed Service operatives was lawfully detailed on a routine investigation to SERAP office in Abuja, which has sadly been skewed and misinterpreted as unlawful, harassment and intimidation of SERAP officials.”
The Service further stated that such official enquiries and liaison were traditional and did not in any way amount to illegality or raid.
While it assured of an in-depth investigation of the malicious contents, the service called for citizens’ participation in national security management.