DSS had no business to raid corrupt judges’ homes , EFCC says

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has stated that the Department of State Security Services (DSS) went beyond its purview by raiding the residences of judges suspected to have been involved in acts of corruption.

Following widespread criticism of its raid on the residences of some judges, the DSS had justified its actions by asserting that the alleged corrupt actions of the judges was a threat to national security.

But the anti-graft commission noted that corruption is an economic crime, and does not constitute a threat to national security, which is the purview of the DSS.

Acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu stated this on Thursday during the hearing of an ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives looking into cases of invasion of property and arrest of persons by the DSS “outside its purview” from May 2015 to date.

Magu who was represented by an Assistant Director (Prosecution) of the commission, Mr. Ojogbane Jonson, told the committee that “bribery and corruption are for personal gain, and what it has affected in my view is not security, but development.

“It is not about the internal security, which the DSS runs, what it does is to rob us of our commonwealth.

“I am not aware of any issue they (DSS) have been involved in that has elicited as much criticism as this one. It is not much because people are against them fighting corruption but the methodology.”

But the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Crimes Commission (ICPC) Mr. Ekpo Nta, threw his weight behind the DSS, asserting, that the National Security Agencies Act conferred powers on the agency to raid any property in the country.

According to him, both agencies had similar powers, and do not answer to the other, except in cases involving inter-agency cooperation.

The committee chaired by a former House Deputy Minority Whip, Mr. Garba Dhatti threatened to issue a warrant for the arrest of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).

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The committee frowned at Malami for failing to honour its invitation, even after he failed to appear the previous day, and did not send anyone to represent him.

Dhatti, lamented that Malami is the only official among the key persons invited, who had ignored the committee, and members resolved after a brief consultation that he should appear unfailingly on Tuesday, next week, or risk being arrested.

Dhatti stated, “All the persons we invited have submitted their memoranda and they also appeared before the committees.

“The affected judges submitted their memoranda and some of them even came here. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, the Code of Conduct Bureau, they came.

“The DSS Director-General (Lawal Daura) is here with us and the EFCC has made an appearance too.

“But, the committee is disturbed by the failure of the AGF to appear or to deem it fit to reply us by sending a memorandum to the committee.

“As the chief law officer of the country, he should know the consequences of his actions. We wrote him and we also summoned him, but he has ignored the committee.
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