The Department of State Services (DSS) has exonerated itself from allegations that it intimidated voters and INEC officials during the 2019 general election.
Recall that the US Department of State in its 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released on Wednesday accused DSS, Nigerian Army and other security agencies of helping the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) win re-election in the 2019 general election.
“There was evidence military and security services intimidated voters, electoral officials, and election observers. In addition violence in several states contributed to lower voter participation and added to the sentiment the army is a tool of the ruling party in many parts of the country, particularly in the South.
“For example, widespread violence and military involvement in electoral processes, including during the vote collation process, significantly scarred the governorship election in Rivers State. Additionally several of INEC’s resident electoral commissioners (RECs) reported DSS operatives intimidated them when the RECs attempted to protect voting materials.
“Some RECs reported security service personnel visited them multiple times prior to the elections. Press reported certain RECs claimed the DSS was surveilling the RECs and that they had been brought to DSS offices for questioning,” the report partly read.
But the service said that its personnel conducted themselves in conformity with globally-accepted standards during the polls.
“The DSS regularly sticks to its mandatory role of detecting and preventing crimes/threats against the internal security of Nigeria.
“It was at the forefront of establishing the Interagency Consultative Committee on Electoral Security and ensured that elections in Nigeria were conducted in line with the electoral laws and that the exercises were conducted orderly,” the service’s spokesman, Peter Afunanya was quoted as saying by The Punch.
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