EXCLUSIVE: DSS Reportedly Raids Headquarters Of EFCC Overnight, Carts Away Sensitive Documents
Officials of Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services raided the headquarters of sister agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday night.
It was learnt that the raid lasted till early Saturday morning.
The action was undertaken under the cover of the night to prevent public knowledge of the action while the staff of EFCC were instructed not to mention anything concerning the invitation to the public.
According to an insider, the DSS is working for a particular interest very important to the president beyond what the public is made to believe.
However, another source said it may be linked to the recent closure of the EFCC office in Ikoyi, Lagos by the DSS.
“I heard the raid and partisanship of the DSS was the reason why they raised an alarm yesterday (Saturday) that some of their disgruntled officers are planning to shame the agency and embarrass the leadership,” the source said.
Some of the investigators handling the case of former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle are to be summoned by the DSS for interrogation, it was further learnt.
“That is actually intimidation, symptomatic of what former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami did during Ibrahim Magu’s time as EFCC chairman to get several suspects off the hook,” the source said.
It was revealed that Matawalle was being investigated by the commission in two separate cases. One of them is a case involving his private company which got money from the National Security Adviser’s office without executing the contract, which was investigated under the chairmanship of Magu. The other case involves the alleged fraud committed by Matawalle while in office.
Someone close to President Bola Tinubu also informed our reporter that the president is also aware of the moves by the former governor to stop the anti-corruption body from probing him, which includes obtaining court orders to restrain the commission and other agencies from carrying out their investigations.
President Bola Tinubu Wednesday suspended Bawa from office indefinitely.
According to a release from the presidency on Wednesday, Bawa’s suspension is “to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office. This follows weighty allegation of abuse of office leveled against him.
“Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman pending the conclusion of investigation.”
Bawa’s suspension came days after Tinubu suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, from office.
At the time of filing this report, it was unclear what the agenda of Tinubu and DSS were regarding the detention of Bawa and the carting away of sensitive documents relating to the commission’s investigations.
Wilson Uwajaren, the spokesperson for the EFCC, did not answer calls, nor reply to the text messages sent to his mobile line.
Last month, operatives of the DSS stormed the Lagos office of the EFCC, preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi.
