How DSS Operatives Assaulted, Threatened To Kill Me For Protecting My Client — Lawyer Narrates

Douglas Ogbankwa Esq  a Nigerian Lawyer, has talked about how he was harassed and faced death threats, while representing the interest of one of his clients at the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ogbankwa who made this known via a series of tweets on his X profile narrated that the DSS Principal Staff Officer (PSO) slapped him and threatened to kill him for being assertive towards protecting the interest of his client.

In his tweets, the lawyer alleged further that the DSS officials took offence just because he insisted that his client should not write any statement without his presence as his counsel.

This made the DSS officials to order his arrest and physically assaulted him.

The lawyer write: “I was visited to the DSS Office with my client and we were at the Waiting Room when two different ladies at intervals wanted to take my client to go and make statement without my presence. I protested that I needed to be present by the Provisions of the ACJA.

“It was at that moment that one man wearing blue native attire that I know is the PSO, Operations and Intelligence, came out and asked my client to come out and shouted at me to go back to the reception.

“It was at this point, I informed him that I was not a Kindergarten pupil that should be pushed around, because he was very uncouth, rude and aggressive. He then said I should leave the Office and I told him, the DSS Office is an Agency of the Federal Government and I was a freeborn, who should be able to access same at reasonable hours of the day.

“It was then I asked my client that we should leave. We were leaving when the PSO Operations and Intelligence asked that they should lock the gate that I was under arrest.

“I informed him that being assertive is not a crime, but a right as we are in a free society. He slapped me immediately and asked his boys to bundle me into an Underground cell. I was dragged on the floor, cleared from my leg; I received over 7 slaps and blows.

“I stood up and informed them that they were no longer doing SSS Business, but their personal business as I do not know the State Command Officers to act this way. This PSO Operations and Intelligence is new and lawyers have really suffered in his hand.

“I told him the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must hear this and he said they are the President’s boys. One of them even said they will kill me here and nothing will happen.

“I am presently scared for my life as, the man holding gun said if I come to the DSS Office again, they will gun me down.”

I visited the DSS Office with my client and we were at the Waiting Room when two different ladies at intervals wanted to take my client to go and make statement with out my presence. I protested that I need to be present by the Provisions of the ACJA.

— The Juggernaut Esq (@KcUzoka) September 26, 2023