The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned disgruntled elements embarking on smear campaigns against its Director-General, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, his family and key officials to stop.
Spokesman of the service, Dr Peter Afunanya gave the warning in a Tuesday statement.
His statement comes barely a day after Aisha Bichi, the wife of the DSS DG, brazenly ordered the arrest of the gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abba Yusuf, and killing of his aide.
Afunanya said that the DSS had uncovered plans by some politicians and disgruntled elements within and outside the government to sponsor smear campaigns against the top officials over the service’s uncompromising stance on some critical governance and policy issues.
According to Afunanya, those behind the evil plot have recruited unnamed 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,” the DSS spokesman said.