The Department of State Services (DSS) has restored the operatives withdrawn from Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara — less than 24 hours after the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) backed down on talks scheduled with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo towards resolving the rancour in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On the same day (Sunday) that five gang leaders of the Offa bank robbery named Saraki among their sponsors, the DSS withdrew half of its operatives assigned to him — as well as those securing Dogara.
However, on Monday, the nPDP backed out of the talks with Osinbajo, claiming the Federal Government had been persecuting its members with the use of state security apparatus.
“It appears that there is a fouled and toxic atmosphere and environment of intimidation and threat to life in which we now find ourselves which may no longer be conducive for members of the former nPDP to continue with the talks, given the unfolding events in the last 24 hours, where the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and His Excellency, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, both of whom attended the meeting with the Vice President on Monday 28 May, 2018, have suddenly been accused of sponsoring armed robbery by the Police under the directives of the Presidency,” Baraje had said.
“Similarly, on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018, the Department of State of Services (DSS) also suddenly withdrew more than half of all the security details attached to the presiding officers of the National Assembly under questionable circumstances.”
However, on Tuesday, the DSS aides of Saraki and Dogara were restored.
“Yes, it is true that they were restored today,” a top security official told SaharaReporters on phone but declined to give further explanations.
SaharaReporters had reported earlier that Saraki would get a soft landing from the Presidency after intervention by some “elders”, and that his aides being investigated for corruption would be released without charges as long as Saraki ‘behaves’. (SaharaReporters)
