A group, Conscience Nigeria, has raised an alarm over what it termed “illegal detention and harassment of citizens”.
Reacting to the treatment being meted out to former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, former spokesperson Marilyn Ogar and the Chief Security Officer of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Gordon Obua, by Department of State Services, the group said activities of security agents must be within the ambits of the law.
Tosin Adeyanju, Executive Director of Conscience Nigeria, in a statement on Sunday said while the anti-corruption drive of the present administration is commendable, “we must not lose sleep about the fundamental tenets of democracy and its guiding principle.”
It said: “We have watched with keen interest the actions taken so far since the present administration assumed office. We are afraid that we may be heading back to the dark days of dictatorship and this may truncate the democracy we enjoy today.
“Three actions of the present government led us to this conclusion that if care is not takien rights and privileges of Nigerians will not be respected under this dispensation.
“The other day, it was Marilyn Ogar, the spokesperson of DSS that was hounded for doing her work under the past administration. The recent events that also cause for alarm are the intimidation, persecution and Gestapo style of the DSS in arresting the immediate past National Security Adviser Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and the present detention of the Chief Security Officer of former President Goodluck Jonathan Mr Gordon Obua.”
The group recalled that such harassment were witnessed during President Muhammadu Buhari’s reign as Military Head of State.
“These type of scenario took place and we are all witnesses to how that government ended.” it said.
“It is due to this fact that we urgently call for a stop to this illegal detention and harassment of citizens by DSS that have not been found culpable of lies flying around.
“We will compliment the current administration drive towards the anti-corruption fight so long is not politically motivated as we see it today if our democracy must survive.”
Conscience Nigeria warned that the nation’s democracy is on trial, advising Buhari to act within the provisions of the constitution, to avoid being perceived as acting a script.
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