The Nigerian Bar Association has on Friday called for the immediate suspension of the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, over what it described as “the disgraceful and crass violation of the hallowed precincts of the law by the officers of the Department of State Services”.
The NBA, in a statement issued on its behalf by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kunle Edun, condemned the disruption of the proceedings presided over by Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja by the operatives of the Department of State Service in their bid to rearrest the convener of ‘Revolution Now’ protest, Omoyele Sowore.
This was part of the four-point demand of the NBA in the aftermath of the Friday’s invasion of the court by DSS operatives, which caused the judge to flee her court abruptly.
Bichi’s predecessor, Lawal Daura, was in August 2018 dismissed by then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, for authorising an illegal invasion of the National Assembly by some masked operatives of the DSS.
Apart from calling for Bichi’s suspension, the NBA also demanded that the “Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Assembly immediately investigate the shameful conduct by the DSS and ensure that all persons found culpable are duly punished in accordance with the law.”
Demanding the incumbent DG’s suspension, NBA said it was necessary considering the fact that “the DSS under his leadership has established itself as a brutish and irresponsible agency that derives immense pleasure from violating the fundamental rights of Nigerians and disrespecting court orders”.
The association also demanded “that the National Assembly should review the laws setting up the DSS and indeed all security agencies in Nigeria with a view to repositioning them to be more responsible and responsive to the public”.
It also demanded that the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, “being the chief law officer of the federation takes over all the political cases or cases involving politically exposed persons presently handled by the DSS”.