By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Three officials of the Lagos State House of Assembly arrested for assaulting officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) during the recent leadership crisis that rocked the legislative house have apologized to the Service.
The Assembly, in a letter dated February 14, 2025, and signed by the acting clerk, A. T. B. Ottun, had invited the DSS to beef up security at the assembly.
According to the letter with reference number LSHA/FAD/0/7554/323, the acting clerk begged the DSS to secure the facility “from February 15 till further notice.”
However, when DSS operatives arrived to beef up security at the Assembly, three workers at the facility reportedly attacked them. Relying on CCTV footage, the DSS arrested the assembly workers and filed charges against them.
In separate letters of apology dated March 28, 2025, Ibrahim Abdul-Akeem Olarenwaju, a public affairs officer at the Assembly, Miss Adetola Fatimoh Oluwatosin and Adetu Samshudeen Adekunle, both officers with the Sergeant-at- Arms told the DSS Director General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi that they were deeply sorry for their actions.
The letters were routed through the State Director of Security, Lagos State Command.
“I, Ibrahim Abdul- Akeem Olarenwaju. .., hereby tender my unreserved apology for any act or commission that I might have caused your distinguished office (DSS) and personnel in the course of my duty at the hallowed chamber of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, on the 27th day of February, 2025,” one of the letters addressed to the DSS Director Genera, read.
In the apology letters by the three assembly workers, they promised the secret police to be of good conduct and refrain from any future acts that could undermine their personnel.
It would be recalled that, in the wake of the Assembly leadership crisis, several media houses published misleading reports that DSS operatives invaded the assembly.
However, upon realizing their error, several media organizations, including AIT, Channels TV, The Punch, Blueprint, Tribune, The Guardian, among others, retracted the stories and apologized to the DSS. It is uncertain if Lagos Television (LTV), which the DSS also wrote to apologize, has complied, prompting fears of an impending lawsuit by the secret police.
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