By Uche Amunike
The State Security Service (SSS) has, Thursday, reportedly withdrawn all its officers attached to the convoy of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, following a misunderstanding between the police officers in the governor’s convoy and the Security personnels.
According to sources in the governor’s convoy, the face off started after the Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the governor invited some police officers from the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) to replace the SSS personnel in the governor’s convoy, making the Head of Personnel attached to the governor to report the ‘snub’ to his superiors.
This was confirmed by spokesperson to Governor Ademola, Olawale Rasheed, who confirmed the situation through a statement released by him, Sunday. Speaking, through the statement, Rasheed described the situation as ‘a minor agreement’ between the police and SSS personnel attached to the governor’s convoy.
Hear him: ‘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 clarify that it is a minor disagreement between officers of the Department of State Services 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. The governor is fully secured and governance is proceeding without let or hindrance.’
Reports, however say that the withdrawal of the DSS offices has nothing to do with the ongoing disagreement between Governor Ademola Adegboyega and his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
According to a report by The Guardian Newspaper, reliable sources who preferred anonymity from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), both parties in separate telephone conversations, dismissed speculations that the DSS officers were withdrawn because of the allegations and counter-allegations between Adeleke and Gboyega.
They said that the development was caused by the inter-rivalry ego between the Police Command and the DSS, concerning choosing which agency should produce the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the governor and the Chief Details.
Apparently, the DSS headquarters in Abuja posted an officer to serve as Chief Security Officer to Governor Ademola Adeleke. The Police Force Headquarters also assigned a Chief Security Officer to him, a few weeks after the DSS officials had resumed work. This caused the conflict between both security organizations.
Allegedly, the DSS lost out to the police which made the DSS withdraw their officers in protest.
Meanwhile, the APC in Osun State has said that the new development is a bad omen. They described it as an unsavory development which has put Governor Ademola Adeleke’s government in the news for negative reasons.
In reaction, spokesperson to Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed maintained that the new government was still at its teething stage and was still setting up structures. He urged the members of the public not to be ruffled by the incident as there was no cause for alarm.
Hear him: ‘The Executive Governor is still setting up his team from security to other areas of the new government. Many issues are being addressed.’
‘So on this particular one, I can assure you there is nothing like a crisis or otherwise. If there is an inter-agency rivalry, relevant authorities will address it.’
‘I can assure the public that there is no cause for alarm. This administration is still at a formative stage,’ he emphasized.
