DSS: Allegations against APC still ‘hearsay’

The Department of State Security has described recent accusations against the All Progressives Congress as “hearsay”.

The APC had been accused of funding Boko Haram by a senior member of the European Parliament, Franz Obermayr, which is the latest in the series of accusations against the party.

Obermayr, in a statement issued on September 16, alleged that the APC was diverting European Parliament financial aid to Boko Haram in the northeast of the country, and called for a probe of the party.

The European parliament member’s allegation is coming after a member of the British Parliament; Andrew Rosindell, called for an inquiry into the relationship between the APC and Boko Haram in July.

Speaking with TheCable, the DSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said that the agency was yet to receive an official report from either the British parliament or the European parliament over the allegations against the APC.

“Our investigations are in-depth. We have not got a report of the accusations against the APC from the UK parliament or the European parliament. They still just media reports that are based on hearsay. Our investigations are always thorough,” she said.

Meanwhile, the APC has denied Obermayr’s allegations calling them political. In an electronic message to TheCable, the party’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed wrote: ” The allegations that were made were political and that’s the reason why why he (Obermayr) did not give details, and you have heard no response from the donors that give grants.”

“Grants are not structured in such a way as to be misappropriated in the manner he claims. They are structured to be applied for certain purposes and/0r beneficiaries. The donors invariably monitor the use of the grants to ensure they impact the purpose to which the grants were made in the first place.”