TheCable

Officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) have reportedly prevented personnel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos from accessing their Ikoyi office.

The DSS officials were said to have been stationed at the office of the EFCC located at Awolowo road, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday morning.

TheCable understands that the tussle between both agencies has to do with the ownership of the building.

Reacting to the incident, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said his agency did not barricade the EFCC office in Ikoyi, adding that the DSS is only occupying its own facility.

“It is not correct that the DSS barricaded EFCC from entering its office. No, it is not true. The service is only occupying its own facility where it is carrying out its official and statutory responsibility,” Afunanya said in a statement.

“By the way, there is no controversy over No 15A Awolowo Road as being insinuated by the media. Did the EFCC tell you it is contesting the ownership of the building? I will be surprised if it is contesting the ownership.

“Awolowo Road was NSO headquarters. SSS/DSS started from there. It is a common knowledge. It is a historical fact.

“There is no rivalry between the Service and the EFCC over and about anything. Please do not create any imaginary one. They are great partners working for the good of the nation. Dismiss any falsehood of a fight.”

However, EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren has issued a statement to say the DSS indeed laid a siege on the agency’s Lagos office.

“The operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrived at their office on No. 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, this morning, May 30, 2023, to be denied entry by agents of the Department of State Services, DSS, who had barricaded the entrance with armoured personnel carriers.

“This development is strange to the Commission given that we have cohabited with the DSS in that facility for 20 years without incident.

“By denying operatives access to their offices, the Commission’s operations at its largest hub with over 500 personnel, hundreds of exhibits, and many suspects in detention have been disrupted,” Uwujaren said.

The EFCC spokesperson also said the siege has disrupted cases scheduled for court hearing, adding that many suspects who had been invited for questioning have been left unattended.

Uwujaren added that “all of these have wider implications for the nation’s fight against economic and financial crimes.”

TheCable visited the EFCC office in Ikoyi where personnel of the anti-graft agency spoke in hushed tones about being locked out by DSS operatives.

Officers were seen perching around the restaurant beside the facility.

TheCable reporter also confirmed the presence of a DSS armoured tank inside the facility.