Rivers Lawmakers Condemn Arrest, Harassment of INEC Officials by DSS

The Rivers State House of Assembly has condemned what it described as the arrest and harassment of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Gesila Khan, and other senior officials of the commission by the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

In a  statement issued  Thursday and titled: ‘Protest over undue interference in Rivers State election petitions pending  before the Election Petition Tribunals’, the assembly expressed displeasure against the DSS, stating that the arrest of the REC under any guise was uncalled for.

The statement, which was signed by 31 lawmakers and read by the Speaker, Ikuinyi Ibani, called on the DSS to desist from further arrest and intimidation of any official involved in election petitions in the state.

“We, the undersigned members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, hereby, for ourselves and on behalf of the entire good people of Rivers State, that we represent, express our deepest worries and displeasure against the undue interference and meddlesomeness in the political affairs of Rivers State and the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja.“We have watched with dismay the way and manner the DSS  has been intimidating and harassing electoral officers connected with or handling matters relating to the 2015 general elections held in Rivers State, as well as the election petitions.

“We have it on good authority that the Rivers State REC, Mrs. Khan, and her officers were orally invited to DSS office in Abuja and she honoured the invitation with her senior officers on Tuesday, July 22, 2015, only to be arrested and detained till about 10p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, with further instructions to report to the DSS daily.

“It is important to state that Section 2, sub-Section 3 of the National Security Agencies Act, Cap. 74, 2004, has defined the functions of the DSS, which are limited to crimes bordering on the internal security of the country such as insurrections. Again, we make bold to say that INEC is a party at the election petition tribubal and the arrest of Mrs. Khan under the guise of preventing breakdown of law and order is not only laughable, but condemnable.

The assembly also faulted the visit of the immediate past governor of the state, Chibuike Amaechi, to the DSS, pointing out that his visit and the “unfolding drama leaves much to be desired for our country”.

It insisted: “It is wrong for the state security apparatus to be used to intimidate parties concerning pending matters in court or any tribunal using all kinds of allegations three months after elections. We, therefore, call on the DSS to desist from further arrest or intimidation of any official involved directly or indirectly in the election petitions.”

Equally, members of the National Assembly from  the state have accused the DSS of undue interference in the state’s election petition tribunals with the intention to influence the outcome.

The lawmakers accused the former state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, of instigating the agency to harass and intimidate officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were involved in the conduct of the 2015 general elections in the state.

Briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday, their Leader, Senator  George Thompson-Sekibo  alleged that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Gesila Khan, was detained by the DSS in Abuja when she honoured an oral invitation on July 21, 2015 and was not released until 10p.m. the next day.

“It is also not a co-incidence that the invitation to parties (INEC officers) and arrest came after a private visit of Amaechi  to the Director SSS on or about Tuesday, July 7, 2015. Shortly after his visit, Amaechi assured the petitioners that (in his words) “the DSS is game.” Sekibo said.

Flanked by the lawmakers from the state, he recalled that Section 2, sub-section 3 of the National Security Agencies Act, Cap. 74, 2004, defines the function of the DSS as limited to crimes/actions bordering on the internal security of the country such as the Boko Haram threat.

“It is not their business to invite parties in a court case and interrogate them further…We are not speaking for INEC, but we are seeking that justice should prevail. There must be balance, and they should stay away from these people (INEC officials) just as we stay away from them. Its prejudice because when a case is in court, you do  not interfere,” he said.