Senate probes DSS, EFCC, NIA clash over move arrest of Oke, Ita

The Senate on Wednesday began investigation into the attempted arrest of a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke, and the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services, Ekpeyong Ita, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC had on Tuesday attempted to arrest former Ita and Oke in the Abuja residences, moves which their security details resisted.
However, coming with a Point of Order on the ugly incidence on Wednesday during plenary, Senator Dino Melaye described the situation as an embarrassment in the international community for the two sister agencies to engage in fisticuff.
Melaye said: “The EFCC went to the residence of the former Director General of the SSS, Ita Ekpeyong, to effect an arrest and the Directorate of State Services stopped the EFCC from arresting him.
“That created environmental brouhaha.
“The whole environment and neighbours were stopped from lawfully gaining entrance into their homes because of this confusion.
“Same yesterday, the EFCC wanted to arrest the former DG NIA, Mr. Oke.
“Also, the officers of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency stopped that arrest.
“We will recall that the Director of SSS has written this Senate before now on Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Chairman of EFCC.
“We are not here to say who is at blame.
“We have been embarrassed before the international community.
“That two sister agencies will engage in fisticuff, arrest and stoppage of arrests.
“Mr. President, this is a recipe for national disaster.”
Also speaking in support of the issues raised by Melaye, Senator Abiodun Olujimi stated that as at present, nobody is in charge of anything and nobody can be blamed for what happened on Tuesday.
Olujimi said it is not easy to just go to the house of security agent and arrest him just like that.
She said: “Right now, we have a situation whereby nobody is in charge of anything and we cannot honestly blame anyone for what is happening.
“The truth is that you cannot go to the house of a security agent, a man who had kept the secrets of Nigeria for so long and just try to arrest him like chicken.
“Mr. President, there has to be someone that we can hold responsible when two brothers are fighting.
“The person that is supposed to be held responsible has not done anything, is not doing his work.
“This is the first time we’ll see gross irresponsibility in government, whereby there is no arbiter.
“No one to come in between two agencies that belong to only one person.
“The two agencies report to one person: the Presidency.
“And now we find them fighting on the pages of the newspapers.
“It’s a shame.
“We are calling on the President, he has to sit up, he should be up and doing.
“Call these people to order.
“Mr. President, you will remember that we rejected Mr. Magu and up till today nothing has been said about it.
“Mr. President, something has to be done.
“The presidency has to be called to order.
“Nobody is in charge of this government.
“Nobody is in charge and somebody needs to be in charge.”
The Senate leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, in statement on what transpired among the security agencies on Tuesday, said: “It is one rare motion brought by Senator Dino Melaye.
“I support that position.
“But let me say this: President Muhamadu Buhari is in full control of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Even when Mr. President was away to attend to his health, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, was in full control.
“The statement by our colleague is unacceptable.
“My opinion about what happened is that: could it be that EFCC did not get the right kind of document to arrest those people?
“If they did, then the security agencies are wrong.
“Only the investigation would reveal this.
“This Senate is the highest lawmaking body in Nigeria.
“I would urge us to calm down, especially the opposition, as it appears rather here nor there.
“Let there be an investigation before we apportion any blame.”
As at the time of filling this report, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was yet to announce members of the ad-hoc committee that will investigate the matter.