Final Warning!: DSS cautions politicians over inciting comments

As the 2015 elections draw closer, the Department of State Service has issued a warning to Nigerian politicians to desist from making provocative utterances and inciting statements that can disrupt the peace of the nation. The service condemned a recent statement credited to an opposition governor, calling on members of the armed forces to rise in protest against authorities for failure to meet their concerns.



According to a statement released by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, the comment made by the governor is 'irresponsible, selfish and against the collective well-being of the nation...' She noted that such provocative utterances can encourage violence leading to the loss of innocent lives and property. The DSS said this is the final warning it will issue to politicians.

Ogar stated that “Political office holders must not hide under the privileges of their offices to perpetrate and encourage the commission of acts inimical to the general interest of this nation, as this will henceforth not be tolerated. This statement, therefore, serves as the last warning to all those seeking to truncate the nation’s democracy by their careless and obviously mischievous utterances and actions to desist immediately”.

“The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to inciting and unguarded statements and utterances by some politicians ahead of the 2015 general elections. Of particular interest is the statement of a serving governor calling on men of the armed forces to rise up in protest against constituted authority, with the intent to undermine the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

“Their actions which are intended to achieve their desires are irresponsible, selfish and against our collective wellbeing as a nation. It is noteworthy that similar unguarded provocative statements by politicians in the past had encouraged violence that resulted in loss of innocent lives and property.

“It is pertinent to note that no Nigerian is above the laws of this land. This Service and indeed all security agencies will not rest on their oars and are committed to the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria,” the DSS Spokesperson said.