The Department of State Services (DSS) said Tuesday that it has uncovered plans by some politicians it described as “disgruntled elements within and outside the government” to sponsor smear campaigns against its Director-General, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi.
The Public Relations Officer of the agency, Dr. Peter Afunanya, said in a press that the Service has been monitoring the development and called on members of the public to be “wary of these tendencies and ignore the antics of dark forces out to impugn the character of the DG.”
The statement reads in full: “The Department of State Services (DSS) has uncovered plans by some politicians and disgruntled elements within and outside the government to sponsor smear campaigns against the DGSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, CFR, fwc, and his key officials over the Service’s uncompromising stance on some critical governance and policy issues.
“Those behind the plot have engaged civil society and non-governmental organisations to not only sustain but stage further rallies, road shows and press conferences and use the occasions to discredit Bichi.
“Also, sections of the media have been briefed to implement the strategy through sponsored articles, commentaries and features to malign the DG, his family and select officials of the Service.
“The Service is monitoring developments and will allow the plotters to either exhaust themselves or rescind the plan of action.
“Otherwise, no amount of intimidation, harassment and blackmail will deter it from discharging its duties.
“However, it would not idly watch a group of dissatisfied gang to undermine the Service and its highly dedicated leadership and management.
“The DSS, therefore, wishes to inform the public to be wary of these tendencies and ignore the antics of dark forces out to impugn the character of the DG. It restates its unalloyed support to the President on his resolve to continue to confront, head-on, threats to national security as well as create the enabling environment necessary for the 2023 general elections to hold.”
Daily Trust has linked the DSS’s reaction to a reported altercation on on Sunday between Bichi’s wife Aisha and the Kano State gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Alhaji Abba Yusuf, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
The Abuja-based daily reported that the altercation occurred when Mrs Bichi allegedly prevented Yusuf from boarding a flight.
According to the report, trouble had started after the motorcade of Yusuf allegedly delayed Mrs Bichi’s convoy from gaining access into the VIP lounge, prompting her security details to step into the situation to clear the path.
This led to an altercation between the security details and aides of the gubernatorial candidate, the report said.
