Ekiti lawmaker alive in our custody – DSS clears air

Following claims by the Ekiti State government that a lawmaker in the state House of Assembly arrested and detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) had died in custody, the security agency, Thursday, moved to clear the air on the health condition of the lawmaker.
A statement released and signed by spokesman of the DSS, Abuja, Mr, Tony Opuiyo, said: “You may have been aware of the recent situation in Ekiti State in which the DSS was accused of abducting of the State’s Assembly Legislators.
“The fact is that one of the members of the Assembly, Hon. Akanni Afolabi was duly invited by the Service over some serious breaches bordering on State security and for which he has some explanations to make. These breaches fall under the purview of the DSS to investigate.”
According to DSS, the reaction ‘has become necessary in order to debunk a rumour which is being dangerously spread in Ekiti State by some mischief makers to the effect that Hon. Afolabi has died in custody. Nigerians and Ekiti people in particular are convinced to see that Afolabi is hale and hearty as he is being presented to the Press today.
“The DSS will therefore warn all those who have planned to make a meat out of this to desist from it and stir clear from trouble as the Service will not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law against any one or persons that may engage in violent actions of any kind.”
It would be recalled that the Ekiti State Government had earlier claimed that Hon. Afolabi Akanni, one of the Ekiti State Assembly members abducted by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) recently in the state has died in detention.
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Thursday, Hon. Lanre Ogunsuyi, the state commissioner for information, youth and sports, said “inormation reaching us indicates that one of the abducted members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Afolabi Akanni has died in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“It will be recalled that the honourable member has been unlawfully incarcerated in DSS custody since March 4, 2016. A court order directing his release since March 11, 2016 was ignored by the DSS.
“Significantly, since his illegal detention, he has been held incommunicado without access to his family members, doctors and lawyers.
“We call on the DSS to immediately clarify the situation as to the status (dead or alive) of Hon Afolabi Akanni, representing Efon Constituency by producing him physically for all Nigerians, particularly his immediate family to see.
“While we are waiting for the DSS, we urge every resident of Ekiti State, particularly the people of his immediate Constituency in Efon to remain calm.”‎