DSS Disregard Rumour No Detained Ekiti House Of Assembly Member Is Dead

At an emergency press conference in Ado Ekiti, addressed by the Information Commissioner, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi, the government insisted that the lawmaker had developed an ailment the midnight of Thursday and died at dawn.

Ogunsuyi said: “We call on the DSS to immediately clarify the situation as to the status (dead or alive) of Hon. Akanni by producing him physically for all Nigerians, particularly his immediate family to see.

Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja, James Sowole in Akure and Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

The Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja on Thursday dispelled the rumoured death of Hon. Akanni Afolabi, a member of the Ekiti House of Assembly, arrested by the service.

Afolabi was rumoured to have slumped and died in the DSS detention in the early hours of Thursday.

Presenting Afolabi before journalists, Mr Abdullahi Garba said the member was duly invited by the service over some breaches bordering on state security.

“You can see that Akanni Afolabi is hale and hearty” he said.

He said the breaches fall under the purview of the services to investigate.

Garba said the briefing became necessary in order to debunk the rumour being spread in Ekiti by some mischief makers of Afolabi’s demise.

“Nigerians and Ekiti people in particular are convinced as they can see that Afolabi is hale and hearty as he is being presented to the press today,” he said.

Garba, who said investigation was still ongoing on the matter, pointed out that the service had not received any court order for his release.

He warned that the service would not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law against any one or persons that might engage in violent actions.

“The DSS will therefore warn all those who have plans to make a meat out of this, to desist from it and stay away from trouble,” he said.

Garba’s press conference was sequel to a pronouncement by the Ekiti State government alleging that Akanni, representing Efon constituency, who was arrested on March 4, when the DSS allegedly invaded the assembly for undisclosed reasons, had died in the custody of the security agency.

“As it is now, we don’t know their whereabouts. Their family members are worried and they have remained incommunicado. We asked if they are dead and nobody is talking to us. The rights to life and human dignity of our colleagues are being threatened.

“Arresting and detaining them without charging them to court is a breach of their fundamental human rights.”