Coming amid the controversy caused by the recent search conducted on the premises of Akwa Ibom Government House in Uyo, by operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Kayode Ajulo, has declared that no Government House has immunity from lawful search and investigation by operatives of national security agencies.
Ajulo, who is the National Secretary of Labour Party, LP, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that the law empowered security operatives to conduct searches on any government building if there was credible information about possible threat to national security.
While noting that only Diplomatic Missions of foreign government embassies in the country are exempted from security investigation under the Geneva Convention, he said: “Akwa Ibom Government House is not a Diplomatic Mission or Foreign Government Embassy that will require the DSS or any law enforcement agencies to respect Geneva Convention.
“Intelligence or law enforcement agency officials can invade any government building if there is credible intelligence about what threatens the national security.
“Moreover, immunity conferred on governors and their deputies, as well as President and Vice-President, does not stop investigation and possible prosecution, pending the expiration of their tenure,” he said.
The LP scribe, who however cautioned that such searches on government premises must be done in accordance with the provisions of extant laws insisted that, “it must be done within the confine of the laws. State Security Service and other security agencies, by their strategic mandate, are expected not to be partisan and must at all times be above suspicion.”
Comments