The Department of State Services(DSS), have vowed to cage all religious, political tribal leaders and groups responsible for the insecurity ravaging the country before the 2023 general elections.
The DSS, specifically said it would go after those perceived to be sponsoring terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other violent crimes in the country irrespective of their political, religious and public status.
Already, the service said it has collated data of such persons in readiness to effect their arrest any moment from now.
The move according to DSS Director General, Mohammed Yusuf Bichi, is to pave way for a smooth, free, fair and safe conduct of the 2023 general elections in the country.
He said they would not be allowed to escape as they are being monitored on a 24 hour basis.
Bichi, made this known at a ceremony organized by staff of the organization to mark his four years in office, unveiling of a book written in his honour and the renewal of another four year term in office by president Mohammadu Buhari, held at the service headquarters Wednesday night.
The book, A Compendium of YM Bichi’s Legacy at the DSS, was written by the Public Relations Officer, Dr Peter Afunanya, to record successes and achievements of the DG during his first four years (2018-2022) in office
The DG, while listing Terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes as some of the insecurity bedeviling the nation, said the service would no longer fold its arms to watch those perpetrating these evils to move about and carry on with their deadly activities.
He said the DSS, whose shoulder the military, police, the various security agencies and indeed the general public rely on for intelligence, is working round the clock to rid all criminals and their sponsors out of the way before the 2023 general elections.
Bichi, said the agency was more than ever well equipped with state of the art technological equipments and manpower who have undergone various trainings within and outside the country to render the services which is was established for.
He said in the coming days, weeks and months, Nigerians would get to know those who have been championing the insecurity in the country using religion and other dubious means as cover to perpetrate their evil acts to the detriments of innocent and law abiding citizens.
He said these set of people would not be allowed to escape as they are been monitored 24 hours.
The DG, while noting the task before the service as enormous given the security challenges in the country however pointed out that with the level of manpower and technology the service has acquired in the last few years, the task was surmountable.
Bichi, who thanked president Buhari for appointing him for a second term in office said “I thank the President of finding me worthy of serving once again. With this I am fully aware and you should also know that the task before us is quiet enormous and challenging but we have to navigate. We have already assembled, we increase the platforms of the service we have been able to take the service to the next level tecnogically. Our operations definitely will be driven by technology, by professionals and with commitment.
Continuing he said “And I have to tell you that we are up to the task and committed to address the security challenges facing the country.
“All the services rely on us and we are not going to fail them. It is a commitment I once again do know that Definitely in the next couple of days, weeks, or months all those responsible for all these insecurity will definitely be rounded up and they will never escape.
We started from these years compiling, analyzing and building our data on people that definitely want to undermine the security of this nation or even our democracy. And we are not going to allow that to happen. We took that resolve and we are going to do it.
And when we say we are going to do it, everybody knows that once this service say that they are going to do it, they will surely do it.
“Recently people thought that Ogboho will never be arrested by any security agency but we told them that you can say that to the marines not to this service.
“Once we want to deal with you, we deal with you but in a fair manner and Justice . So Justice, fairness is what will guide us”.
“He thanked personnel of the organization for their commitment and cooperations over the years and promised to take the service to a greater height in his second tenure.
He also thanked the Public Relations Officer Dr Peter Afunaya, for the publication of the book.
