December 29, 2014 – The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned politicians and political office holders to desist from making utterances that would hit up the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections.
In a statement, Spokesperson for the DSS, Ms. Marilyn Ogar warned that such utterances would no longer be tolerated.
Ogar said the attention of the DSS had been drawn to inciting and unguarded statements and utterances by some politicians ahead of the 2015 general elections.
“Of particular interest is the statement of a serving governor calling on men of the armed forces to rise up in protest against constituted authority, adding that such utterances are irresponsible, selfish and against the collective wellbeing of Nigerians.
Director of Campaign of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who also coordinates Presidential campaign for General Muhammadu Buhari rtd,had been quoted in the newspapers saying that soldiers have the right to protest and refuse to fight.
“The challenge of the Nigerian military is not funding but corruption. Now they want to kill some 50 officers for their own failure to equip them properly to fight terrorism. The soldiers have the right to protest for the federal government’s failure to fully equip them,” Amaechi said at a press conference.
The DSS however said that such provocative statement is capable of truncating democracy.
“It is noteworthy that similar unguarded provocative statements by politicians in the past had encouraged violence that resulted in loss of innocent lives and property. It is pertinent to note that no Nigerian is above the laws of this land.
“This Service and indeed all security agencies will not rest on their oars and are committed to the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria,” she added.
