The Department of State Services (DSS) has threatened legal action against DAAR Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT), and Channels Television for airing news stories alleging that DSS operatives invaded the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday.
In a letter dated February 17, 2025, the DSS, also known as State Security Service (SSS), through its lawyer, Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, demanded a retraction of the story and apologies from both television stations, emphasizing that the reports portrayed the Service in a negative light.
In letters titled, ‘False, Defamatory and Malicious Publication Concerning the State Security Service (aka DSS) Regarding Their Presence at the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, February 17, 2025,’ the Service demanded a retraction of the story and an apology.
The senior lawyer stated that should the media houses fail to broadcast apologies on their respective channels five times a day for three consecutive days within seven days of receiving the letter, the DSS would have no option but to seek redress in court.
According to counsel, despite clear fears that hoodlums could attack the lawmakers, leading the Clerk of the Assembly to invite the DSS and police to help secure the Assembly, the media houses still went ahead to report that their operatives invaded the Assembly Gestapo-style.
The letter dated February 17, 2025 and addressed to the Chairman of Daar Communications Limited, reads, “We act as solicitors to the State Security Service (A.K.A. DSS) who is hereinafter referred to as our client and on whose instruction this letter is written to you.
“Our client’s attention was drawn to your publication which was aired repeatedly both on the news bulletin and the news bar of AIT’s’ Channel on the 17th of February, 2025.
“In the said publication, it was reported that the State Security Service also known as Department of State Service (DSS) invaded the Lagos State Assembly and attempted to prevent the members of the Assembly and the speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Mojisola Meranda, from entering the chamber for plenary session.
“The above publication was equally repeated in your online news media edited by one Paul Akhagbemhe, also published on the 17th of February, 2025. First, it must be stated that our client, in carrying out its core statutory mandate of collection of intelligence for good governance and national safety and upholding and enforcing criminal laws of Nigeria, was invited to the Lagos State House of Assembly, vide a letter dated 14th February, 2025, written to it by the Acting Clerk of the said State House of Assembly. A copy of the letter is herewith attached.
“Our client was invited by the acting Clerk to come and support the Security Operatives attached to the Lagos State House of Assembly, from Sunday, 16th of February, 2025, in order to forestall an imminent break down of law and order, following the information that the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Obasa planned to resume office on the 18th of February, 2025, a plan which he (the acting clerk) believed poses a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members.
“However, without any verification of the reason for the presence of our client’s officials at the Lagos State House of Assembly on the 17th of February, 2025, your organization maliciously and falsely broadcast, both on your news bulletin and print media, that our client had invaded/stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly with a view to preventing the members and speaker from entering the chamber for plenary.
“By this publication, our client which is a highly responsible and respected organization, was portrayed as an irresponsible and reckless organization, who in a Gestapo manner invaded/stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, to support one of the feuding parties and to desecrate the hallowed chambers.
“Your publication and/or broadcast has greatly injured the character of our client and tarnished and lowered its esteemed image in the eyes of the public.
“Having regard to the fact that your broadcast was false and coupled with the fact that, you did not ensure balancing in your report, as enjoined by the ethics of journalism, our client has instructed us to demand the following: An immediate retraction of your defamatory publication and/or broadcast on all your news platforms and the retraction shall be accompanied by an apology which must be published for at least five (5) times daily for three consecutive days on all your new channels and platforms, including all the social media handles to which your media House has its presence.”
“Please note that, should you fail, to comply with the above demands within a period of seven (7) days after the delivery of this letter to you, we shall, on behalf of our client, seek redress by pursuing both civil and criminal actions against your organization as your conduct also runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act of 2015, as amended in 2024, without further reference to you,” it added.
A letter with similar content was also sent to the Chairman of Channels TV, stating that the publication was “equally repeated in your online news media edited by one Donatus Anichukwueze, also published on the 17th of February, 2025”.
