DSS quizzes Lagos council boss, staff over security breach, others

DSS quizzes Lagos council boss, staff over security breach, others

By Fly Cable News

The issues trailing the whereabouts of the Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairman, Bola Shobowale, has attracted the Department of State Services (DSS), deploying its officials after the Vice Chairman, Ladi Oluwaloni, and other staff to question them over the breach of peace in the council.

To question the officials and council staff, The Guild gathered that the DSS officers stormed the LCDA secretariats in Alimosho Local Government for on the spot assessment of the issues that drew the eyes of the media to the council.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that aside the Vice Chairman and the Council Manager, Saheed Baba Tunde, who were available during the visit, other senior officials including the House leader, were not in office on the day.

Sources inside the secretariat disclosed to The Guild that the DSS personnel were informed that the officials had traveled abroad for other engagements.

On Monday, the source, who does not want his name in public, added that during the visit, the DSS officials questioned Oluwaloni for minutes on why the former Deputy Governor, Femi Pedro, and other Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) members were poorly treated and allegedly assaulted.

Meanwhile, he could not provide details of what transpired between the Vice Chairman and the DSS officials, saying “I do not know the questions Oluwaloni was asked. But I believe it revolved around the issues rocking the council presently”.

Another source from the All Progressives Congress (APC) added that the Vice Chairman was interrogated on the council’s administration, especially as it concerned the breakdown of law and order within Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA during the GAC members’ visit.

She noted that Oluwaloni could not provide reasons for the security breach over allegations that Shobowale did not hand over Ayobo-Ipaja council affairs to the Vice chairman officially and he does not know where she is.

The source stressed that during the GAC members’ visit, the vice chairman informed Pedro, who led the party members to the council, of the relationship that existed between them before she left on medical leave.

“Even when Pedro asked that Oluwaloni put a call through to Shobowale, the Vice chairman could not reach her and informed the former deputy governor that she is not picking. So, how do you expect Oluwaloni to answer the questions when the head of the council has picked some people as her trusted allies leaving the vice chairman alone in the wilderness.

“I believe that the DSS will not get any meaningful answer from him because he is not the one managing the council affairs”, she added.

During the Council Manager, Saheed Babatunde’s interrogation, the security officials were said to have put same questions across to him regarding the whereabouts of the chairman, Shobowale, but could not provide answers to the questions put across to him.

Sources inside the council secretariat noted that Babatunde informed the security personnel that he could not contact the chairman.

When contacted by The Guild’s correspondent, the spokesperson for the council, Rasak Jimoh, confirmed the security personnel’s visit to the council secretariat.

In an exclusive interview, the spokesperson noted that the Vice Chairman was not interrogated during the visit and that the DSS officials did not quizzed any official.

According to him, when the DSS officials asked that the Vice Chairman be interrogated, Oluwaloni declined and directed them to the Council Manager. And minutes later, the security personnel left the council immediately.

Meanwhile, due to the poor reception accorded to Pedro and other GAC members, Oluwaloni hosted the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC) Inspection and Assessment Committee as part of their working tour. The visit highlighted the Lagos State Government’s commitment to grassroots development and community engagement.

Oluwaloni apologized to the visiting team on the ugly incident during their last visit, after which the interactive session with major stakeholders, to assess the state of affairs and to gather feedback from communities began.

After the interactive session, Oluwaloni led the GAC delegation on a tour of Shobowale’s achievements since assuming office.

It was learnt that the visit attracted commendations from the party members, saying her choice of projects addresses the electorates needs within the council.