By DAVID IORJA, Abuja
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has appointed Matthew B. Seiyefa to act as Director-general of the Department of State Security (DSS), following the sack of Lawal Daura on Tuesday over the invasion and siege on the National Assembly by operatives of the security outfit.
Senior Special Assistant to the acting President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, who made this known in a statement, said Seiyefa, who hails from Bayelsa State, will hold forth until a substantive DG is appointed.
Before his new appointment, Seiyefa, an Assistant DG and the most senior director in the DSS, was also the Director of the Institute of Security Studies, Abuja, according to the statement.
“With about 34 years of experience, Seiyefa has served in different capacities, including the State Director in Osun, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos States. Seiyefa is also a member of the National Institute.”
The sacked Lawal Daura was asked to hand over the running of the office to the next most senior officer in the department.
Osinbajo, according to an earlier statement, also vowed that all the security agents who participated “in this travesty will be identified and subjected to appropriate disciplinary action. “
Operatives of the DSS had in the early hours of Tuesday barred some lawmakers, newsmen and staff from entering Nigeria’s National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The operatives, who are in their numbers, had barricaded the entrance to the complex as early as 7 a.m. but gave no reason for their action.
Some of the lawmakers cited as at the time of this report were PDP lawmakers, including Sen. Shittu Ubale(PDP-Jigawa), Sen. Ben Bruce(PDP-Bayelsa) and Sen. Rafiu Ibrahim(PDP-Kwara), Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi(PDP-Delta).
Speaking to newsmen, Bruce said it was an affront on democracy.
He called on relevant authorities to call those responsible to order.
Sen. Rafiu Adebayo (PDP-Kwara) who was also one of the early comers at the complex was refused entry.
The lawmaker expressed his frustration over the siege, saying it was dangerous for democracy.
While asking the security operatives who gave them instruction to do so, he said,” has the military taken over the National Assembly now.”
A staff of the national assembly who pleaded anonymity, said the man power loss due to the the situation would be regretted, saying,” today is a work day.
“We are now on compulsory holiday when we should be working.”
There had been fillers of impeachment move against the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, since his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC), to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Some APC lawmakers also in recent interviews with newsmen warned that there will be no peace until Saraki resigned as president of the senate.
President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, is expected to address a world press conference later today to formally react to this and other unfolding political developments in the country, according to sources.