The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned against acts of electoral violence during the elections.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has warned against acts of electoral violence during the elections.  

Peter Afunanya, the DSS spokesperson, spoke on Thursday during a joint security briefing on the general election at the defence headquarters in Abuja.

Afunanya said the DSS is working with other security agencies to ensure the elections are “hitch-free” without violence.

“The DSS assures of its commitment to a peaceful exercise. It pledges its neutrality, professionalism, and good conduct of its personnel to the democratic process,” he said.

“It will continue to discharge its mandate of disseminating timely, actionable, and proactive intelligence necessary for tactical, operational, and strategic decisions even beyond the elections.

“Also, it will partner with other sister security and law enforcement agencies; all levels and arms of government, and indeed all stakeholders, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant non-governmental and civil society organisations to ensure a hitch-free electoral exercise.

“In this regard, we call on all citizens and residents to be law-abiding before, during, and after the elections. Eligible voters are enjoined to cast their votes without any form of violence and also maintain the peace after that.”

Afunanya said the DSS, in an effort to tackle electoral violence, conducted operations across the country and arrested several suspects with weapons.

“For instance, on 22 February 2023, the service conducted a legally backed search operation on a property along airport road, Nasarawa LGA, Kano state. During the operation, it recovered dangerous weapons including a gun, daggers, swords, and jack-knives from the said building,” he said.

“Therefore, the accusation that the service intimidated a particular political party in that state is untrue; otherwise, why were these weapons found there? Are those objects of violence campaign materials? Whether in Kano or elsewhere, the DSS has provided equal opportunities for all political parties to engage in their lawful activities. We can say this without any form of contradictions or equivocations.

“On the same, the service arrested a gunrunner, Aliyu Yahaya, an associate of Kachalla Damina, a suspected bandit who operates around Dansadau, Zamfara state.”

The DSS spokesperson said items recovered from Yahaha include: one GPMG rifle, one chain of ammunition, 190 rounds of GMPG ammunition, 28 rounds of AK47 ammunition, and one grenade.

He said in Kaduna, two couriers — Tukur Usman and Illiyasu Adamu — were arrested at Chikun LGA, on February 20, adding that 372 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm ammunition and 26 rounds of live ammunition for GPMG rifle were recovered from them.

He said the suspects were arm suppliers to bandits in Zamfara state, and that they were initially arrested on January 22, at Barkin Ladi-Pankshin road, Plateau state while in transit to deliver ammunition to their customers.

Afunanya said 612 rounds of ammunition for GPMG-120 and AK-492 concealed in a bag of rice were seized from them at the time.

Similarly, the DSS spokesperson said on February 16, one Fajuwon Isaac was arrested and 4,503 rounds of pump action rifle ammunition among other weapons were recovered from him in Asaba, Delta state.

Afunanya added that on February 18, Sunday Muokwue, Oforjeri Osita, Ude Bernard John, and Okechukwu Emeka were arrested in Anambra, and weapons, including one AK-47, 3,985 rounds of AK-47 ammunition were recovered from them.