We don’t abduct citizens, says DSS

The Department of State Services (DSS) says it does not abduct citizens.

The secret police said this in reaction to recent reports that it kidnaps Nigerians under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement on Wednesday, Peter Afunanya, spokesman of the DSS, while describing the reports as “misleading”, said the agency only arrests people when necessary.

Afunanya said the secret police has never arrested anyone without following the necessary procedures.

“The DSS is law abiding and committed to the protection of citizens and sensitive government installations,” he said.

“In doing this, it will continue to discharge its mandate of intelligence collection and timely dissemination of same to relevant action agencies and stakeholders. Their continuous mischievous resolve to use fake news and hate speech to set the country on fire is condemnable.

“Media practitioners in the country should rise above parochial considerations, sanitise its fold and fish out quacks among them. The media can also peer review and embark on self-censorship as part of achieving professionalism in the industry.

“They must reject the allure of enticement by external forces to use them to instigate violence or undermine government and its institutions.

“Otherwise, those who run foul of the law must be ready to face justice either now or in the future.”