Bukola Samuel-Wemimo, a journalist with an independent broadcast station, Television Continental (TVC) in Lagos on Wednesday, December 30, was allegedly detained unlawfully by Nigeria’s secret police known as the Department of State Services (DSS).
Mrs Samuel-Wemimo, the anchor of Fireworks, a political programme on TVC, was detained unlawfully at the agency’s Magodo office in Lagos.
Narrating her ordeals on Twitter, Mrs Samuel-Wemimo said it was the practice of the DSS operatives in the axis to intimidate commuters during gridlock.
She also revealed that she was detained because her driver unintentionally crossed while DSS operatives were trying to stop traffic which built up to their office from the center for management and development.
She explained that while it is good that the secret police are securing their area, they are causing more harms to drivers.
Read her tweets below…..
I am being detained unlawfully here by the @StateDeptDSS on CMD road Magodo for doing no wrong. It is the practice of the DSS to stop traffic when it builds up to their office from the center for management and development. My driver crossed unknowingly, we explained to them
That it was unintended.I even told them that it happened to me before when I drove myself and I parked immediately apologizing. But obviously they don’t like outspoken Nigerians. By stopping traffic in front of their office beside cmd road, @StateDeptDSS contributes to the Gridlock.
If the intention is to secure their area, it is good, but the collective safety of drivers is also important. The first DSS official had actually let us go, but another farther off who wants to prove tough has detained us. I will not be intimidated.
Samuel-Wemimo announced that she was released shortly after she started tweeting.
As soon as I started tweeting the overzealous officials went into their office. They thought I would come begging. I refuse to be intimidated @dss_nigeria stopping traffic during gridlock in front of your office doesn’t make sense. Newcomers to the route will inevitably skip it.
And it is also not a safe approach to security. I have been released. I refuse to be intimidated.
Thank you everyone. I have been released. Happy new year!
