The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has cautioned the Department of State Service (DSS) to trade cautiously with a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia, on his recent media interview over which he has been invited twice by the secret police.
The attention of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has been drawn to invitations extended by the Department of State Service (DSS) to the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and presidential candidate of the African Democracy Congress (ADC) in the 2019 polls, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, over his recent interview with Nigerian Info 93.3FM.
In a press statement issued by the Forum’s national President, Dr Pogu Bitrus, it said views raised by Mailafia in an interview with Nigeria Info 93.3FM were personal comments solely aimed at fast tracking the fight against insurgency with a view to bringing about peace and security in the country, wondering why the DSS is extending invitation for him to appear on Monday.
“Considering these invitations by the DSS to this patriotic Nigerian, who is a distinguished son of the Middle Belt, we are worried that after appearing before the secret police twice without a fail, another invitation was issued to Dr Mailafia on Friday August 21, 2020 by the Nigeria Police requesting him to appear before them tomorrow, Monday August 24, 2020 in Abuja.”
MBF further said, in what may be seen as subtle act of intimidating alternative voices, “a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba, was also a guest of the secret police in Abuja last Monday where he was grilled over his media interview in which he was quoted to have called for self-determination for Nigerians.”
“Looking at the travails of both Rt. Hon Na’Abba and Dr. Mailafia in the hands of security agencies over their comments on national issues, there seems to be a deliberate ploy to stifling alternative voices.”