I was told not to talk, Mailafia says after visiting DSS

TRACKING ___Former presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, who was invited by the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday for the second time, told newsmen that he was told not to talk, after spending 43 minutes with the security agency.

Mailafia arrived at the DSS office about 12.06pm yesterday with his wife, Margaret; his lawyer, Yakubu Bawa; and his surety, Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam.

Former governor of Plateau State, Fidelis Tapgun, joined them after Mailafia had left the DSS office about 12.59pm.

The former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was invited by the DSS for his claim that a serving Northern governor was the commander of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists.

While leaving the DSS about 12.59 pm yesterday, he told newsmen that he was told not to talk, “but you can only talk to my lawyer.”

Relatedly, the National Consultative Front (NCFront) has flayed the recent invitation of its national leaders, former Speaker House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, and Mailafia by DSS.

The group said it would lead a protest in support of Na’Abba and Mailafia over the DSS invitation.

Head, Public Affairs Bureau of NCFront, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, stated: “As decent and responsible democrats, we wish to state that the timing, promptness and alacrity with which the DSS these days summons for questioning those who disagree or criticise the misdemeanour and misrule of the President Muhammadu Buhari government.”

NCFront noted that the invitations betrayed “the sinister motive of this regime to silence constructive criticism and responsible opposition at all costs, portending a desperate and panicky move to turn the country into a police state.”

The group wondered why Na’Abba should be invited now?

“Are we back to the dark days of totalitarianism? Are we on the odious path to fascism? Why is the state so obsessed about hate speech than containing and curtailing her own obvious hate actions and reckless impunity all over the Nigerian space,” it said.