The Lagos office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been blocked by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).
The DSS operatives, according to reports are preventing officials of the anti-graft agency from gaining access to their office in Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to some impeccable sources, the two government have been having issues over the ownership of the building.
The DSS operatives were said to have stormed the office around 7:00 am on Tuesday, and refused to leave despite dialogue between operatives of both agencies.
Speaking anonymously, an official of the EFCC said, “There’s been a running battle between us and the DSS over who owns the office because the office was used by them before the EFCC came on board and it was handed over to us.
“But it’s been an administrative issue, and the matter is not in court and hasn’t caused any fracas before now. But we don’t understand why they have to block our office and deny our officials access when a new government just came in.”
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“The office used to be ours, and we have been fighting over it for years now, and the EFCC knows,” a DSS source said.
Reacting, the spokesperson for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, denied the claim saying, the agency was occupying “its own facility” where it was carrying out an operation.
He said, “It is not correct that the DSS barricaded EFCC from entering its office. No. It is not true. The Service is only occupying its own facility where it is carrying out its official and statutory responsibility.
“By the way, there is no controversy over No 15A Awolowo Road as being insinuated by the Media. Did the EFCC tell you it is contesting the ownership of the building? I will be surprised if it is contesting the ownership. Awolowo Road was NSO headquarters. SSS/DSS started from there. It is a common knowledge. It is a historical fact. Check it out.”
He, however, debunked claims that there is a rivalry between his agency and the EFCC.
Afunaya said, “There is no rivalry between the Service and the EFCC over and about anything. Please do not create any imaginary ones. They are great partners working for the good of the nation. Dismiss any falsehood of a fight.”