Ex DSS boss Daura 'was rude to acting president' before his sack

Fired DSS boss, Lawal Daura, was condescending and rude when Osinbajo summoned him to explain the siege on the national assembly by his men.

Lawal Daura who was Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) until his men laid siege on the national assembly, openly disrespected Acting President Yemi Osinbajo before he was sacked, a Premium Times report details.

On Tuesday, August 7, 2018, the nation woke up to masked and hooded DSS personnel forming a barricade at the entrance of the national assembly and turning back lawmakers and staff.

Premium Times reports that Osinbajo was outraged when he learnt of the DSS siege on the national assembly and asked for a comprehensive briefing of what exactly was going on.

The online newspaper quotes a source as saying: “when the siege began, the acting president quickly went to action and was able to gather preliminary information of what was going on after which he invited some of the security chiefs concerned for a briefing”.

The security officials who were summoned to a meeting with Osinbajo following the scenes at the national assembly were, the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and Daura, Premium Times writes.

The question Daura didn’t answer

According to the story, “when Lawal Daura came in, the acting president asked him who cleared him to order operatives to lay siege on the national assembly; and his response was ‘shocking’.

Daura not only refused to answer Osinbajo’s question directly, he was disdainful and disrespectful of the nation’s number two citizen and acting president.

“He simply said it’s within his powers and that he is only answerable to the president and Commander-in-Chief who appointed him,” Premium Times quotes the source as saying.

The source also said that unknown to Mr Daura, the acting president had already spoken to Mr Buhari after initial reports indicated that Mr Daura “was in play with President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.”

After his response, Mr Osinbajo told his media aide, Laolu Akande, to immediately issue a statement announcing the sack of Mr Daura.

“The acting president also asked the National Security Adviser to hand over the sacked DG to the police for further investigation,” the story reads.

Daura’s arrest

Premium Times also shared details of how Daura was arrested following his reported act of insubordination at the acting president’s office.

A couple of excerpts from the story are provided below:

Another source at the villa who witnessed the drama that followed the directive from Mr Osinbajo, said as soon as his arrest was ordered, the Aide De Camp (ADC) to Mr Osinbajo was seen rushing to the ceremonial gate, where the Mobile Police Force office is located.

“The ADC returned to the VP wing with some mobile police officers in a rush and asked that a vehicle should be brought immediately to the rear area for (Daura’s) evacuation.

“We thought the VP, who is the only one whose convoy uses that place, was about to go out and there was a need for additional vehicle. An SUV was ‘scrambled’ but the ADC said they should bring a tinted Hilux van,” he said.

Meanwhile, the source said Mr Daura’s convoy and personal security were waiting for him, like they normally do, at the administration gate (a separate one from the ceremonial gate) not knowing what was going on inside.

“All of them thought the DG was still meeting with the acting president until the convoy was asked to return to headquarters empty,” he said.

Daura is now cooling his heels at the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).

“The fact that he was handed over to SARS and detained in a guest house (for high profile suspects) should give you an indication of how the government is handling this matter. He is now considered a suspected serious criminal,” the source reportedly told Premium Times.

The story adds that Daura is currently being grilled by FSARS operatives. He has since been replaced by Mathew Seiyefa.