DSS riot act versus fuel scarcity racketeers

Monday Column By Hameed M. Bello, PhD

hamdbelo@yahoo.co.uk

The Department of State Services, DSS, does not speak too frequently to the public.  Whenever it does, it is usually about a subject requiring urgent public attention in defence of security and public peace, or to draw attention to some social threats. The service also speaks on matters relating to security of the Head of State and members of his family. Mr Peter Afunanya, PhD, the spokesman of the DSS usually takes up such responsibilities. Afunanya often comes across as a warm individual. I usually sit up whenever he appears on the TV delivering a speech or addressing a press conference on certain declassified issues meant for public consumption. He rarely laughs, but at the same time his likable personality invites friendship. But that cannot be taken for granted. He is frank, calm and deep, and drives home his point in clear and unambiguous language laden with native intelligence. This approach is understandable because he addresses sensitive state matters requiring precision and accuracy. As journalists and members of the fourth estate of the realm of governance, we are obligated by Section 22 of the Constitution to report on society, the DSS inclusive, to contribute to discourse on national peace and cohesion, and social security as core components of democratization. 

By the way, the three statutory arms of Government are the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The constitutional role of the legislature is to make laws for the good governance, peace and security of the country. The legislature is also mandated to carry out oversight functions on the Executive. The executive arm of government implements the laws made by the legislature while the Judiciary interprets the laws and prescribes punishment for offenders. The media is constitutionally required to criticize the law and hold to account the other three arms of Government. Criticism here does not mean to run down or to backbite, No. It means to assess, to evaluate and to interrogate the three arms of goverment on behalf of the public.This watchdog role of the media is however not absolute. It is qualified and must be done in accordance with the law. For instance, the media does not have the absolute right to unduly  disparage anybody, or to deliberately lie against anyone. Any person aggrieved by offensive media report has a right also to recover in law and claim damages under the laws of defamation or of tort, and in some cases of criminal law when the defamation is committed against the state. Defamation could be in the form of libel when written words defame an individual(s). Defamation could also be in the form of slander when spoken words in radio and television defame an individual(s). A serious defamation against the state is sedition, while defamation of a religious nature could be blasphemy. Defamation against morality could be called obscenity, and any indirect defamation which makes diagonal infringement against a person’s right could be referred to as innuendo. As for innuendo, the onus of proof lies on the plaintiff or complainant, that the alleged offensive comment published referred to him, and indeed exposes him to ridicule or hatred in the eyes of right thinking members of the public. 

The separation of powers and functions of the three arms of Government earlier mentioned, and the checks and balances that follow are to guarantee that no arm of government usurps or tramples upon the functions of another. When that happens, just as it could within agencies and other organs of government, the media is expected to highlight it to prompt a correction.

The DSS has always been a critical and integral part of the National Security drive of President Muhammadu Buhari administration. It is more so under the current Director General, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, a calm and unassuming spymaster. The secret police has done pretty well in several joint operations with the military and the Paramilitary services. This synergy is the reason we hear of repeated casualties in the war against terrorism across the country. We must give kudos to our gallant officers and men of the security and intelligence community who sacrifice daily to keep the civil populace secured. 

Dr Afunanya last Thursday spoke on a subject that affects all Nigerians whether in the rural or in the urban areas. It is the lingering scarcity of fuel. Afunanya conveyed a stern warning after a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, to the fuel scarcity racketeers who are behind persistent scarcity of fuel across the country despite availability of the product. This has plunged the country in chaotic queues that have become, in the opinion of the DSS, a matter of security concern. He read the riot act and gave them a 48 hours ultimatum to end the scarcity. The  DSS spokesman said that the Service decided to act in national interest as it would not fold Its arms to allow some individuals or group of persons to destabilize the country through hoarding of fuel.

He said that during the meeting, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited disclosed that it had about 1.9bn litres of PMS in stock which would last for the period of yuletide and beyond. 

He said that after the expiration of the ultimatum, the Department would commence nationwide operation to ensure that the products are made available ‘no matter whose ox is gored.’ He said the Department vowed it would no longer be business as usual.

His words: “The stakeholders at the meeting included the NNPC Limited, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), depot operators and National Association of Transport Owners, (NATO), among others.

“There is an agreement that marketers will be operating for 24hrs on daily basis and that tankers owners said all hands will be on deck to ensure the lifting of the products.

“IPMAN has also committed itself to ensure that the product is available for 24hrs daily.

“For we at the DSS, we agreed to provide adequate security for fuel distribution.

“Therefore, we insisted that the fuel distribution must improve and all challenges eliminated in 48hrs, and after 48hrs, we will as a matter of urgency carry out operations across the country. And in doing this, we won’t mind whose ox is gored.

“We are sounding a note of warning that it won’t be business as usual. We have set our commands and platform nationwide on high alert and they are to get information on any elements who want to obstruct these efforts

“We are also advising the members of the public not to capitalize on the fuel scarcity to take laws into their hands as the Service will deal ruthlessly with individual or groups trying to obstruct even distribution of the products.”

Gladly, many fuel stations have started complying and are selling fuel earlier hoarded before the DSS threats. A word is enough for the wise. The DSS has spoken well, despite skepticism in some quarters that they may be chasing shadows. They ought to be given the benefit of the doubt in this circumstance to ensure that Nigerians fuel their vehicles with ease without being subjected to the suffocating pain of long fuel queues that impact negatively on national productivity. Official and private businesses have suffered well enough no thanks to the artificial fuel scarcity imposed on Nigerians by shylock fuel dealers and their greedy accomplices.