NBA condemns DSS, warders’ clash over possession of Emefiele

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the fight between operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service over the custody of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.

The DSS had brought Emefiele before the Federal High Court in Lagos over illegal possession of arms and ammunition.

The court, however, granted bail to Emefiele in the sum of N20 million.

The secret police took custody of Emefiele after a fight with officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

However, in a statement on Wednesday by the NBA National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Lawal, the association described the actions of the government agencies as shameful.

He said the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), called on the two agencies to take disciplinary actions against their personnel.

The statement read: “A situation where officers of Federal Government agencies engage in a fight as witnessed by the public, for whatever reason, is antithetical to our security as a nation and creates a recipe for anarchy and chaos. Both the DSS and the NCoS are important institutions dealing with national security and administration of justice respectively, and the need for them to work in concert towards attaining justice in a secured Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.”

“While it is difficult not to hold the leadership of the two federal government agencies directly responsible for the shameful and disgraceful conduct of the personnel, the NBA President has particularly called on the two agencies “to take immediate disciplinary measures against the officers involved in this disgraceful conduct.

“In addition to this disciplinary measure, Mr. Maikyau also advised a complete overhaul of the institutions and a total reorientation of the personnel, to achieve professionalism and ensure synergy in the discharge of their respective constitutional responsibilities.”

Lawal also said lack of discipline and absence of professionalism among security institutions had impacted the ongoing fight against insecurity in the country.

“The lack of discipline and absence of professionalism among security institutions continue to plague key security institutions in Nigeria, which, without doubt, is largely responsible for the limited progress in achieving a coordinated response to security concerns across the country,” the statement added.