On Thursday, the Department of State Services interrogated members of the Lagos State House of Assembly regarding a petition allegedly submitted by former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
According to reliable sources, more than half of the lawmakers were interrogated by the DSS for hours on Thursday before they were released in the evening.
The DSS investigation followed Obasa’s claims that his removal on January 13 over allegations of misconduct, abuse of office, and financial mismanagement, was illegal.
A source in the DSS, who is not authorised to speak to the press, told The PUNCH that the lawmakers were invited for questioning.
“They have been released, they were just invited for questioning based on the incidents that happened at the Assembly; they were allowed to go immediately after the questioning,” the officer said.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Assembly, Ogundipe Olukayode, while reacting to their invitation, said the lawmakers visited the DSS to provide insights into the situation on the removal of the ex-Speaker.
He confirmed that all the members of the Assembly earlier detained had regained their freedom.
“At the DSS office, we reaffirmed our commitment to upholding constitutional governance following the removal of the former Speaker. The decision was made in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Powers and Privileges Act, which empower the state Assembly to regulate its internal proceedings without external interference.
“The decision to remove the former Speaker was made through a democratic process, with the required majority as stipulated by law. Any attempt to challenge this lawful action undermines the authority granted to us by the Nigerian Constitution.”
“We commend the professionalism of the DSS office in their friendly invitation. We appreciate the Lagos DSS Command, especially the Director, for ensuring a smooth and respectful engagement. The process allowed us to give a clear recount of events in a comfortable and professional environment.”
Obasa, who had been a Speaker since 2015 and representing Agege constituency I, had insisted upon his return to Lagos from the United States that he was still the Speaker.
He urged the lawmakers to follow the “right process” in addressing his removal while maintaining that he had been unfairly targeted.
