Ahead of the relocation of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Presidential Villa, arrangements have been concluded for the Nigerian military to take over the activities of the Strike Force, The PUNCH has learnt.

The Strike Force, which is a special security outfit saddled with the responsibility of protecting the President and the seat of power, is currently comprising only officials of the Department of State Services.

A top Presidency official, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent on Tuesday that soldiers might take over their responsibility very soon.

The source said a Lieutenant who will be leading 21 other military personnel had already been transferred to the Strike Force with an instruction to take over from the DSS officials.

He said, “DSS officials are the ones that have been serving in the Strike Force. “With this development military personnel will take over from them henceforth.

“We are aware that the situation is causing a palpable tension as there is a possibility of a showdown. But we are working hard to ensure that the situation did not degenerate.”

Operatives attached to the Strike Force are always trained abroad on counter-assault and other techniques aimed at making their jobs easier.

In explaining their duties, the source said its operatives were the ones former President Olusegun Obasanjo erroneously referred to as snippers in his widely-publicised open letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Another official, who is aware of the arrangement, also said that machinery had also been put in place to change the new Presidential Villa’s Administrative Officer, who was deployed by the DSS about two weeks ago and replaced with a military officer.

He said all DSS officials currently serving inside the Presidential Villa were not sure of their fate yet.

“The truth is that we are not sure of anything yet. Whichever way, we will only act based on signals from our headquarters whether to leave or remain inside the Villa,” he said.

Meanwhile, a major disagreement broke out on Friday between DSS officials drafted from the Presidential Villa, Abuja to the National Mosque, Abuja and some officials of a private security firm.

The PUNCH had reported last week that DSS officials were having a running battle with officials of the security outfit who were reported to have been securing Buhari before he was inaugurated as the President on May 29.

Their two earlier encounters in the same mosque were settled amicably with officials of the firm asked to leave the premises for DSS officials.

Our correspondent, however, learnt that trouble started again last Friday when DSS officials also sighted the officials of the private firm in the mosque.

A source claimed that trouble started when one of the officials of the firm was asked to identify himself.

“The DSS officials had asked the private guard to identify himself. One thing led to the other and the private guard was said to have held the necktie of one of the operatives. That led to a fisticuffs. It took the timely intervention of senior officers for the situation to be brought under control,” the source said.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/news/military-to-take-over-aso-rocks-strike-force/

If the Lord doesn't protect a city, the watchman labours in vain

Baba should be very careful with the way he brings the military closer to the seat of power. Military boys and coup are siamese twins.

It is expected of Him...I tink PMB is more comfortable wit military than DSS. Bt na only God protection sure pass... Bt did he want to make SSS unattractive dis time around..time will tell

..

sme peo re plotting to hand ova 9ja to des coup guys after deir 4 yrs in power

Everything about this man is shrouded in secrecy thereby giving room to so much speculations. Please Buhari pack into Aso Rock, choose your cabinet and hit the ground running. Four years is not such a long period you know, stop gallivanting from one country to another.

I thought Buhari swore to protect d constitution, whose duty is it to provide security for vip? Hmmmm ama whistle d goooooo

As long as baba is secure no wahala

Coup d'e-tat made easy.

I hope he knows this is democracy abi he don forget too.

TerrorSquad:
When will this terrorist start to deliver the change he promised to the zoo citizens? Where is his frog eye Southwest friend?

This guy is high with aba weed and he used ogogoro from port Harcourt to step it down.

HammedSodiqq:
I thought Buhari swore to protect d constitution, whose duty is it to provide security for vip? Hmmmm ama whistle d goooooo

since you have asked....

The military has always been the one in charge of guarding the seat of power. In fact, last year when boko haram attacked the DSS headquaters very close to Aso Villa, the military had to be drafted immediately.

The job of the DSS is different...the SSS are secret state police who normally should not be seen with rifles or uniform. They are meant to mix with people, gather intelligence to feed the military and police force.

The DSS in the villa are not body guards,they are meant to have specific day to day ordinary roles which allow them go unnoticed as they monitor underground activities.

But today what we have is an SSS trained for bodyguard services, leaving the job of intelligence gathering to nobody and everybody...why else do you think nobody knows when or where boko haram is about to strike? Why do you think nobody knows the whereabouts of the chibok girls?

PMB wants to return the DSS to it's main purpose, to secretly monitor the state of security of the nation.


Just in : pls read this counter opinion and digest

ocelot2006:



WRONG!! The Army is NOT responsible for protecting the seat of power. READ THE CONSTITUTION AND THE 1986 INTELLIGENCE ACT. The DSS, along with the Nigeria Police Force, is responsible for protecting the seat of power. THAT is the 2nd PRIMARY TASK of the DSS. The Army, the Guards Brigade in particular, provides ceremonial duties (being the oldest Army unit) AND protects the FCT as a whole as that is its primary AOR.


Another correction: the DSS is the domestic Intelligence Service of the nation. But it is also responsible for providing Bodyguard service, from Close Protection Detail to Counter-Assault teams. That is because this is ALSO ITS 2ND PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY as the DSS was designed in a similar way like the Isreali Shinbet/ISA (similar way we created NIA and DIA in 1986 in the image of Isreal ' s MOSSAD and AMMAN).

And yes, like EVERY OTHER INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AROUND THE GLOBE from the American FBI, Russian FSB, Isreal ' s Shinbet, and China ' s MRS, the DSS is authorised to carry firearms, including ASSAULT AND SNIPER RIFLES.

Great. Those agents cannot be trusted, they should be focused on gathering vital intelligence and providing support to the other security agencies. Jonathan's party is over.

Under Abacha, the strike force was led by Major Al-Mustapha and Sergeant Rogers, and it was an effective though deadly force at the time.

But when is that Ogar aka PDP spokesperson going to be shown the way out? Her partisanship is unprofessional and not suited to such a sensitive and visible position.

Our army intelligence corps is one of the best trained in their field

some people here are compering dss to cia,read books you wont

Nigeria's Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA)was created when, in 1986, fulfilling one of the promises made in his first national address as president, Ibrahim Babangida issued Decree Number 19, dissolving the National Security Organization (NSO) and restructuring the country's security services into three separate entities under the Office of the Co-ordinator of National Security. The Defence Intelligence Agency works as a secret Government Agent and are responsible for Intelligence gathering,their operations are more military styled unlike the NIA. The Agency may also be involved in intelligence sharing with the CIA and MI6,Most of their operations are classified and not publicly published they operate almost like 'Ghost' and they are well respected

The State Security Service (SSS), also known as the Department of State Services (DSS), is the primary domestic intelligence agency of Nigeria. It is primarily responsible for intelligence gathering within the country and for the protection of senior government officials, particularly the President and state governors. It is one of three successor organisations to the National Security Organization (NSO), dissolved in 1986. The SSS operates as a department within the presidency and is under the control of the National Security Adviser

3 The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is a Nigerian government division tasked with overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations

change is inevitable

Read please
Dyu know that you can fully monitor your vehicle ,know the location of your vehicle with your phone ,stop your car engine with your phone,listen to conversation happening in car.... And lots more at cheapest rate ever ... Call vince on 0706 751 7237 for more inquiries....

When will this terrorist start to deliver the change he promised to the zoo citizens? Where is his frog eye Southwest friend?

Tread with caution is my own advise, Nigerians do not want to wake up one morning and hear 'my fellow Nigerians......'

I don't trust that partisan and useless head of dss!
I wonder what PMB is waiting for ?
She should have been sacked and thrown in jail for devaluing and corrupting such a prestigious department.

Protection of the president is paramount and if the military can do it, no problem.
All those crying coup, it is almost impossible in this time and age!

GMB prefer's soldier's to Dss operatives. So whats the fuss all about?

TerrorSquad:
When will this terrorist start to deliver the change he promised to the zoo citizens? Where is his frog eye Southwest friend?

attention seeking,you registered 2day n common sense is far from you.

rawtouch:
Tread with caution is my own advise, Nigerians do not want to wake up one morning and hear 'my fellow Nigerians......'

chai that will be cruel

soe:
since i have asked....i will educate you.

The military has always been the one in charge of guarding the seat of power. In fact, last year when boko haram attacked the DSS headquaters very close to Aso Villa, the military had to be drafted immediately.

The job of the DSS is different...the SSS are secret state police who normally should not be seen with rifles or uniform. They are meant to mix with people, gather intelligence to feed the military and police force.

The DSS in the villa are not body guards,they are meant to have specific day to day ordinary roles which allow them go unnoticed as they monitor underground activities.

But today what we have is an SSS trained for bodyguard services, leaving the job of intelligence gathering to nobody and everybody...why else do you think nobody knows when or where boko haram is about to strike? Why do you think nobody knows the whereabouts of the chibok girls?

PMB wants to return the DSS to it's main purpose, to secretly monitor the state of security of the nation.

sensible post..1k likes

Great

- can individuals apply for protection from DSS? I need one from the displaced 253 agents.

Maradona can score again.

soe:
since you have asked....

The military has always been the one in charge of guarding the seat of power. In fact, last year when boko haram attacked the DSS headquaters very close to Aso Villa, the military had to be drafted immediately.

The job of the DSS is different...the SSS are secret state police who normally should not be seen with rifles or uniform. They are meant to mix with people, gather intelligence to feed the military and police force.

The DSS in the villa are not body guards,they are meant to have specific day to day ordinary roles which allow them go unnoticed as they monitor underground activities.

But today what we have is an SSS trained for bodyguard services, leaving the job of intelligence gathering to nobody and everybody...why else do you think nobody knows when or where boko haram is about to strike? Why do you think nobody knows the whereabouts of the chibok girls?

PMB wants to return the DSS to it's main purpose, to secretly monitor the state of security of the nation.

Stop misleading the Public. Go and read the NSA Act pls, the act estblishing DSS, DMI and NIA. The constitutional power to protect the President resides with the DSS.

Nigeria36:

Stop misleading the Public. Go and read the NSA Act pls, the act estblishing DSS, DMI and NIA. The constitutional power to protect the President resides with the DSS.

protection doesn't mean carrying rifles.

Nigeria36:

Stop misleading the Public. Go and read the NSA Act pls, the act estblishing DSS, DMI and NIA. The constitutional power to protect the President resides with the DSS.

(3) The State Security Service shall be charged with responsibility for-

(a) the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria;

(b) the protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning the internal security of Nigeria; and

(c) such other responsibilities affecting internal security within Nigeria as the National Assembly or the President, as the case may be, may deem necessary

barcanista:
Baba should be very careful with the way he brings the military closer to the seat of power. Military boys and coup are siamese twins.

The press is making the situation look big
,DSS will continue to provide security it is their responsibility
The Military also has responsibility in terms of securing Mr President

DSS drag itself into the mud because of politicking in the last election. I personally prefer DSS to handle security in the villa but I can't blame PMB

Military kwa?
They should tread with caution.

K