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Keyamo tackles ex-lawmaker over statement on EFCC, DSS

Published

8 years ago

May 28, 2018

Spokesman of the Buhari’s re-election campaign, Festus Keyamo has debunked the allegation that there is infighting between the nation’s security and anti-graft agencies.

Keyamo disclosed this in a reaction to a comment made by a second republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed on a Channels television programme monitored by National Daily on Monday.

Mohammed had alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is “at war” with the Department of State Services (DSS), and that there is “terrible confusion” at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

He featured on the programme alongside Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of finance, and Fetus Keyamo.

Mohammed said the “infighting” has marred the current administration’s fight against corruption.

“Today, the DG of DSS is not on speaking terms with the person he is supposed to coordinate some of these things with,” he said.

But Keyamo described his claims as lies and unfounded, saying the perceived bickering between the security agencies is only a “difference in perspective”.

He said the disagreement between the agencies is a “credit” to the government.

“The president allows the agencies to do their work. The SSS is not looking at the body language of the president that he has appointed this person, so I will cover whatever he has done because the president wants him to be in office,” he said.

“It is not true. These are gentlemen I know, they talk,” he said, adding that: “These are things we push into the public space that we are not sure of. What facts do you have to back it up?”

Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the EFCC, remains unconfirmed as chairman, partly because the senate said a DSS report indicted him of some practices which they said makes him unfit for the office.

The EFCC and the DSS have also had misunderstandings, particularly when operatives of the latter agency prevented the arrest of Ayo Oke, sacked director-general of the NIA, and Ita Ekpeyong, the immediate past director-general of the DSS.