Afe Babalola says DSS not empowered by law to arrest
- Renowned legal practitioner, Afe Babalola, has made revelations about DSS activities
- The legal luminary said the DSS is not empowered by the law to arrest
- Babalola, however, noted that the duties of the secret service is to feed the president with information as it affects the nation
Afe Babalola, renowned legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has said the Department of State Service (DSS) is not empowered by law to arrest.
Legit.ng reports that Babalola, who was a guest on Channels TV, said the constitutional duties of the secret service is to feed the president with information as it affects the nation.
“The DSS duty in law is merely to gather information and give it to the president and all that. They are not to arrest,” he said.
The respected lawyer was reacting to the raid of judges’ homes in a sting operation carried out by DSS operatives in 2016.
It would be recalled that the agency defended its action blaming it on intelligence that some judges stashed large sums of currencies in their homes.
The development, however, received condemnation from prominent Nigerians and groups, including the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But Babalola insisted that the law has indicated how to deal with erring judges in the discharge of their judicial functions. “There are rules, laws of dealing with judges when they commit an offence. That has not been followed,” he said.
Despite this, the founder of Afe Babalola university, believes that not all judges are corrupt.
Speaking on the independence of the judiciary, Babalola faulted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration over the clamp down of judges two years ago.
According to him, the action might create fear in some judges from delivering judgement without fear or favour.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Babalola called on Nigerians to effect a change of government in a bloodless manner because the country is currently at the lowest level in all its history.
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Families of detained suspects in DSS custody | - on Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
