Adeleke’s police, DSS operatives clash over roles

Fresh facts emerged on Sunday on why operatives of the Department of State Security deployed to work with Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, were removed by the state command of the service.

A group Osun Shall Rise Again had brought the issue of the withdrawal of DSS operatives to the fore on Saturday in a statement signed by its secretary and chairman, Saheed Bakare and Lanre Akeju.

OSRA, however, said Adeleke’s ‘unguarded utterances’ to the operatives made the Osun Command withdraw them.

But findings by our correspondent revealed that there was a clash between the police team and the DSS team deployed to work with Adeleke last Thursday.

A reliable security source, who preferred anonymity, that spoke on the issue said, “The DSS headquarters in Abuja had posted an officer to work with Adeleke and assigned to him the role of Chief Security Officer.

The force headquarters in Abuja, it was also learnt, posted a police officer and also assigned to him the role of Chief Security Officer a few weeks after the DSS operatives had resumed work.

The development was said to have created conflict between the two security organisations.

It was also learnt that the matter came to a head on Thursday when the head of the police team brought in his colleagues from the State Criminal Investigation Bureau to a security post that was supposed to be manned by DSS operatives at Adeleke’s office.

Although it could not be confirmed how Adeleke reacted to the reported altercation that ensued between the two groups over the issue, the Osun State Command of the Service was said to have immediately ordered its operatives to report back to the office after the matter was reported.

Spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed there was disagreement between DSS and police operatives working with the governor.

He said, “The attention of the Osun State Government has been drawn to a report on the alleged withdrawal of security personnel from Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“We want to make it clear that this is a minor disagreement between officers from the Department of State Service and the Police.

“The matter has been reported to the headquarters of the two security agencies for resolution. The issue is being sorted out.”

“We reassure members of the public that there is no cause for alarm. Your Governor is fully secured, and governance is proceeding without let or hindrance.”

(Punch)