Three officials of the Lagos State House of Assembly arrested for assaulting operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) during the leadership crisis that rocked the legislative house have apologized for their actions.
The Assembly, in a letter with reference number LSHA/FAD/0/7554/323 dated February 14, 2025 and signed by the Acting Clerk, A. T. B. Ottun, had invited the DSS to secure the facility “from February 15 till further notice.”
However, when DSS operatives arrived to beef up security at the Assembly, three workers at the facility reportedly attacked them.
Relying on CCTV footage, the DSS arrested the Assembly workers and filed charges against them.
In separate letters of apology dated March 28, 2025, Ibrahim Abdul-Akeem Olarenwaju, a Public Affairs Officer at the Assembly, Miss Adetola Fatimoh Oluwatosin and Adetu Samshudeen Adekunle, both officers with the Sergeant-at- Arms office told the DSS Director General, Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, that they were deeply sorry for their actions.
The Olarenwaju’s letter, routed through the State Director of Security, Lagos State Command, read: “I, Ibrahim Abdul- Akeem Olarenwaju. .., hereby tender my unreserved apology for any act or ommission that I might have caused your distinguished office (DSS) and personnel in the course of my duty at the hallowed chamber of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, on the 27th day of February, 2025.”
In their separate apology letters, the three House of Assembly workers pledged to the DSS to be of good conduct and refrain from any future acts that could undermine their personnel.
It would be recalled that, in the wake of the Assembly leadership crisis, several media houses published misleading reports that DSS operatives invaded the assembly.
However, upon realizing their error, several media organizations, including AIT, Channels TV, The Punch, Blueprint, Tribune, The Guardian, among others, retracted the stories and apologized to the DSS.
It is not yet clear if Lagos Television (LTV), which the DSS also wrote to apologize, has complied, prompting fears of an impending lawsuit by the secret police.
