Senate knocks DSS, reviews security agencies’ powers
The Senate on Tuesday condemned the Department of State Services for its late-night clampdown on some judges across the country over the weekend.
It has therefore ordered a review of the laws establishing all security agencies, while mandating its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to review the aspects dealing with powers of security agencies and put them in line with the tenets of democracy.
The committee is to file its report in four weeks.
The Senate also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution all security agencies and direct them to observe rule of law in the discharge of their statutory duties.
The lawmakers further condemned in strong terms the action of the DSS, stressing that the security agency went outside the confines of its constitutional powers, which amounted to usurpation of the powers of the National Judicial Council.
While expressing its full support for the fight against corruption by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government, it advised that the war against corruption must be carried out with total respect for the rule of law and democratic principles.
The Senate, however, rejected a recommendation that the Director-General of the DSS be summoned to explain to the Chamber what informed the action of the agency against the judges.
The lawmakers made the resolution sequel to the motion of urgent public importance brought to the floor of the Senate by Senator Joshua Lidani (PDP, Gombe South), who raised questions on the action of the DSS, praying the Senate to intervene.
While leading the debate on the motion, Lidani said he was alarmed that such unconstitutional action could be adopted by the DSS to sanitise the Judiciary.
He expressed worries that the application of unconstitutional approach in the ongoing fight against corruption in the Judiciary might prove counter productive in the long run.
He said, “I am alarmed that the extra-constitutional approach to sanitise the Judiciary in line with the war against corruption is bound to prove counter productive because it erodes the role of the Judiciary and undermines the importance of the Judiciary as well as demoralise the morale of many patriotic and upright judges who are determined to support the crusade against corruption.”
He noted that there was compelling need for all agencies of government, including security agencies, to respect the sanctity of the doctrine of separation of powers in the execution of their mandates.