In Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) has its own statutory functions and so does the states’ Houses of Assembly. While the DSS is obligated by law to investigate several threats to the nation, including those of espionage, subversion, sabotage, terrorism and the like; the state lawmakers are vested with the power to impeach governors with established claims of misconduct. Despite the seemingly parallel duties of these two structures, the recent arrests of the Speaker and some other lawmakers of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, by men of the DSS cause one to ask whether or not the Nigerian secret police know its duties.

On Wednesday, the Voice of America (VON) Hausa Service, reported that the Speaker of Zamfara State House of Assembly, Sanusi Rikiji, his deputy, Muhammad Gumi and other principal officers of the Assembly were in detention in Abuja, after the governor accused them of plotting to impeach him. According to a statement issued by the Assembly, the lawmakers had accused the governor of imposing a hefty financial burden on the state, with his frequent foreign trips and misappropriation of billions of Naira from the state coffers – the N11 billion bailout funds, N1 billion agricultural loan released to the state by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The governor was also accused of failing to remit funds deducted for pensions and gratuities to pension fund administrators, as provided by law. The lawmakers regarded all these acts as impeachable offences.

Since the arrest and detainment of the leadership of the Assembly, the lawmakers have urged President Muhammdu Buhari to caution the Department of State Services, against further interference in the matter. “We are also demanding the unconditional release of our principal officers who are currently under detention with the DSS in Abuja,” the lawmakers requested.

Although the extent to which the DSS can go with investigating reported threats may be wide, but it is not without regard for the rule of law. Before this time, there have been reports of the DSS being accused of intimidating political opponents of the current Nigerian government, upon alleged instructions from ‘above.’ Nigeria is arguably one of the countries in Africa with a stable democracy, it is important that every organ of government, perceived to be a threat to this democratic edge enjoyed by the country is checked. Particularly, the DSS should be made to learn its duties, part of which is not to harass lawmakers trying to perform their constitutional duties.

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