Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent deployment of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives to the Lagos State House of Assembly, alleging that President Bola Tinubu is behind the action. In a statement shared on his social media platform, Atiku described the incident as “utterly reprehensible” and called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
The controversy began when heavily armed DSS operatives and Nigerian police officers reportedly stormed the Assembly complex, sealing the offices of Speaker Mojisola Meranda, her deputy, and the Clerk. This intervention followed a leadership crisis within the Assembly, marked by the recent impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Atiku criticized the involvement of security forces in what he considers an internal legislative matter, stating, “The purported invitation of armed security operatives for a conflict resolution in a parliament is an anathema that should be frowned upon and interrogated with all sense of urgency.” He further urged President Tinubu to focus on addressing Nigeria’s broader challenges, asserting, “Tinubu should focus on bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into rather than interfering in the state matters.”
In response to the backlash, the Lagos State House of Assembly clarified that it had requested additional security support from the DSS to maintain order amid the ongoing leadership dispute. However, lawmakers have expressed dissatisfaction with the manner of the DSS’s intervention, describing it as an “invasion” and a “rape of democracy.”
The incident has sparked widespread debate about the appropriate role of federal security agencies in state legislative affairs and raised concerns about the potential erosion of democratic institutions in Nigeria.
