A heated dispute over office ownership between the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has escalated, resulting in DSS operatives storming the EFCC’s Lagos office in Ikoyi and preventing access to the premises. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, has further strained the already tense relationship between the two agencies.
According to reliable sources within both agencies, an ongoing rivalry has plagued the DSS and EFCC regarding the ownership of the building in question. The DSS operatives arrived at the office premises at approximately 7:00 am and refused to vacate, despite attempts at dialogue between the two agencies. A source familiar with the situation confirmed these details during a telephone interview.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an EFCC official disclosed, “There has been a running battle between us and the DSS over who owns the office because the office was used by them before the EFCC came on board, and it was handed over to us.” The official emphasized that this administrative issue had not previously caused any major conflicts and was not a matter before the court. Expressing bewilderment, the official added, “We don’t understand why they have to block our office and deny our officials access when a new government just came in.”
In response to the EFCC’s claim, a source from the DSS argued, “The office used to be ours, and we have been fighting over it for years now, and the EFCC knows.” However, the source did not provide further details regarding the basis of their claim.
Despite attempts to gather official statements on the matter, spokespersons for both agencies, Wilson Uwujaren of the EFCC, and Dr Peter Afunaya of the DSS, have not responded to inquiries from journalists, leaving the public in suspense over the escalating situation.
The altercation between these prominent Nigerian law enforcement agencies has raised concerns about the potential impact on ongoing investigations and the fight against corruption in the country. Observers hope that a swift resolution can be reached to deescalate tensions and restore normalcy to the affected office premises.
