The acting Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mathew Seiyefa, has been subdued by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari, recalling officers he transferred out of the headquarters of the agency when he assumed office on August 1.
Mr. Kyari had chastised the acting DSS boss for reorganizing the agency without clearance from the presidency.
By the recall Mr. Seiyefa has obeyed the open directive given to him by the president’s chief of staff.
Among those reportedly recalled are the Director of Operations, Mr Bassey Eteng, and another Director, Grace Kentebe.
A source close to the agency told the Punch Monday night that, “There is tension everywhere because the directive has been complied with by personnel, most especially by those who instigated it.
“Both Eteng and Kentebe have reported. Personnel morale is at its lowest ebb.
“Even quite a significant number of the personnel of northern extraction are not happy with the Chief of Staff because they said himself and the ousted DG had not been good to the service.
“Meanwhile, there is every possibility that the service may witness an unprecedented protest against the undue interference in the affairs of the service by the Chief of Staff to the President.”
The aides of the President, who were said not to be happy about the unceremonious sacking of Daura, were also said to be lobbying to have a say in who would replace him.
Daura had nominated Eteng as a “worthy successor” and could be useful to the cabal ahead of the 2019 elections, the newspaper quoted the source as saying.
According to the source, the cabal is believed to be considering other options, including the possibility of appointing a substantive DG outside the service.
However the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)Worldwide has condemned the alleged moves by the Presidency to remove Mr Matthew Seiyefa as the DG of the DSS and reinstate the sacked Lawal Daura.
IYC President, Mr Eric Omare, said in a statement, “While the IYC recognises the fact that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the power to hire and fire head of security agencies in the country, we wish to state that the President also has a corresponding mandatory constitutional duty to ensure that such appointments are in line with the Federal Character principle.
“As of today, Seiyefa is one of the few heads of security agencies in Nigeria from the southern part of the country, hence it would amount to grave violation of the Federal Character principle of the constitution to replace Seiyefa, who was appointed less than a month ago, with a northerner as alleged.
“Consequently, the IYC strongly calls on President Buhari to put a stop to the Satanic plan by the Presidency cabal to replace Seiyefa as Director General of the DSS because there is no basis for it. Seiyefa is doing a great job in repositioning the SSS and what he deserves is encouragement from the Presidency and not a replacement.”
The then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had sacked Daura and ordered him to hand over to the most senior officer in the agency after he (Daura) sent DSS operatives to lock down the National Assembly.
His unlawful action had embarassed the govenrment locally and internationally.
It was alleged that Daura invaded the legislature, acting in concert with some people in the Villa, without the knowledge of Mr. Osinbajo.
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