The Department of State Security Services has berated the former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, over what it considers an outburst over the security situation in the country in recent times, accusing him of displaying ignorance in the public.
The former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps had during a live television interview early in the week, blamed the worsening insecurity in the country on the failure of the leadership to manage the country’s diversity to promote cohesion and efficiency among the nation’s military and security agencies.
The former minister called for what he termed ‘creative measures’ to tame the flame of killings and destructions across the country as well as coordinated oil theft in the Niger Delta, which has deprived the country of huge revenue to tackle its challenges.
But in responding to the claims by the former minister, the DSS Spokesman, Dr. Peter Afunanya, described Chidoka’s comments as those of a politician, which does not deserve a response from the security agency.
In the statement made available to Vanguard on Wednesday on behalf of the DG DSS, Afunanya said: “Mr. Chidoka spoke as a politician and the DSS does not join issues with politicians. Intelligence activities are based on need-to- know, need-to- hold and need-to- access principles.
“For today, Mr. Chidoka is not on any of the security platforms to appreciate the workings of the intelligence community or the DSS in particular. He has no history of core intelligence practice, competence and experience.
“Chidoka exhibited lack of knowledge or complete ignorance in aspects of his analysis especially as it concerns the DSS.
“In any case, the Federal Road Safety Corps, where is once headed, has unarguably continued to enjoy a robust relationship with the DSS based on inter-agency collaboration,” the DSS said.
vanguard