The Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s secret police, has threatened to prosecute two prominent television networks over their coverage of the situation in the Lagos State Assembly.
According to the DSS, Channels Television and Africa Independent Television misrepresented and harmed its involvement in the February 17 Assembly events. The DSS claims it did nothing wrong and was merely assisting other security forces through its attorney, Adedeji Adedipe.
For three days in a row, the agency wants both TV stations to apologize on air and retract their reports. The DSS warns that they will face legal action under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws if they fail to comply within a week.
“False, Defamatory and Malicious Publication Concerning the State Security Service (aka DSS) Regarding Their Presence at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, February 17, 2025,” reads a letter dated February 17, 2025. The Service requested an apology and the story’s retraction.
According to the senior attorney, the DSS would be forced to take legal action if the media outlets did not air apologies on their channels five times a day for three days in a row within seven days of receiving the letter.
Counsel claims that even when the Clerk of the Assembly invited the DSS and police to help secure the Assembly because of obvious concerns that thugs would attack the members, the media outlets continued to report that their operatives
“We act as solicitors to the State Security Service (A.K.A. DSS), who is hereinafter referred to as our client and on whose instruction this letter is written to you,” states the letter dated February 17, 2025, addressed to the Chairman of Daar Communications Limited. “Our client’s attention was drawn to your publication which was repeatedly aired both on the news bulletin and the news bar of AIT’s’ Channel on the 17th of February, 2025. According to the said publication, the State Security Service, also known as the Department of State Service (DSS), invaded the Lagos State Assembly and attempted to bar the Assembly’s members and the speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Mojisola Meranda, from entering the chamber for plenary session.”
“The above publication was equally repeated in your online news media edited by one Paul Akhagbemhe, also published on the 17th of February, 2025. First, it must be stated that our client, in carrying out its core statutory mandate of collection of intelligence for good governance and national safety and upholding and enforcing criminal laws of Nigeria, was invited to the Lagos State House of Assembly, vide a letter dated 14th February, 2025, written to it by the Acting Clerk of the said State House of Assembly. A copy of the letter is herewith attached.
“Our client was invited by the acting Clerk to come and support the Security Operatives attached to the Lagos State House of Assembly, from Sunday, 16th of February, 2025, in order to forestall an imminent break down of law and order, following the information that the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Obasa planned to resume office on the 18th of February, 2025, a plan which he (the acting clerk) believed poses a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members.
“However, without any verification of the reason for the presence of our client’s officials at the Lagos State House of Assembly on the 17th of February, 2025, your organization maliciously and falsely broadcast, both on your news bulletin and print media, that our client had invaded/stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly with a view to preventing the members and speaker from entering the chamber for plenary.
“By this publication, our client which is a highly responsible and respected organization, was portrayed as an irresponsible and reckless organization, who in a Gestapo manner invaded/stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, to support one of the feuding parties and to desecrate the hallowed chambers.