The Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday, August 14, criticised the statement by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia, linking an unnamed Northern governor to Boko Haram.
1st News had reported that Mailafia insisted that the anonymous governor is the commander and financier of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
He was subsequently invited by the Plateau State office of the DSS for questioning and later released.
This rebuttal was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer, National Headquarters, Abuja of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya.
Afunanya explained that this was an indication of an earlier warning about desperate efforts by some notable personalities to use their exalted positions to cause total breakdown of law and order.
The DSS official further stated that Mailafia had “profusely apologised” during his visit to the Service’s Plateau State Command for his comments, only to announce that he stood by them afterwards.
Excerpt from the statement reads, “Dr. Obadiah Mailafia’s recent outburst aimed at playing to the gallery and creating unnecessary tension is a confirmation of his group’s desperation to breach the peace.
“Mailafia, as a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and currently, a Directing Staff at Nigeria’s foremost Policy Research Institute, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, has unhindered access to government platforms. It is expected that he should be conversant with official information management protocols.
“It is disappointing that he never took advantage of these to reach any of the security or related agencies to share the so called information at his disposal.
”This, he has agreed to be a grievous error on his part. It, however, suggests his mischief and determination to use the fake news he spewed to incite the people under his control.
“It is even more condemnable that Mailafia, who had profusely apologized during his visit to the Service’s Plateau State Command for his ignoble statement, would, afterwards, announce to the world that he stood by his misguided eruption.
“The Service will not stand idly and watch disgruntled and aggrieved elements take laws into their hands and cause mayhem in the polity.
“In line with its mandate of detecting and preventing threats and crimes against the internal security of Nigeria, the Service hereby reiterates its previous warning that it will henceforth not condone unruly conducts of persons and groups that ought to know better.
“In this regard, it will not hesitate to, within the confines of the law, decisively deal with such persons and/or groups, no matter how highly placed, that may wish to test its resolve.”
