BEVERLY HILLS, April 21, (THEWILL) – The Department of State Sercurity (DSS) has denied that it had arrested and detained seven members of staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
A social media report had alleged that the service arrested some ICT staff of INEC for disclosing the commission’s server identity number to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate in the just concluded elections, Atiku Abubakar.
The report went further to state that the staff were detained and tortured for three days by the service to find out who among them gave out the information.
The report also said that they were hurriedly released by the service when their wives threatened to jointly go on public protest but Peter Afunanya, Public Relations Officer of the service, in a statement, denied the report.
“The service wishes to state that the information in its entirety is false and should be seen as a calculated effort to smear its image.
“It states categorically that none of such things happened as it never invited or arrested any INEC staff.
“There is no iota of truth in these allegations and the public is, therefore, enjoined to disregard them. They are simply manipulative, misleading, inciting and can only be considered as mischievous and unpatriotic,” he said.
Afunanya warned mischief makers who were desirous of using fake news to cause break down of law and order to desist from such adding that those bent on causing disaffection would be brought to justice.
