The suspects will remain in DSS custody until their scheduled arraignment tomorrow (Wednesday).
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of three employees of the Lagos State House of Assembly in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly assaulting its officers.
The three suspects, who were initially arrested for allegedly attacking DSS operatives—also known as State Security Service (SSS) officers—were released on Saturday night following the intervention of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, as reported by SaharaReporters on Sunday.
However, on Tuesday, Justice Daniel Osiagor ordered the detention of the trio—identified as Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen, and Fatimoh Oluwatosin Adetola—after the DSS counsel, Mr. Michael Bajela, requested their arraignment. The judge stated that he needed to review the case file before proceeding.
The suspects will remain in DSS custody until their scheduled arraignment tomorrow (Wednesday).
According to the charge sheet marked FHC/L/273C/2025, dated February 24, 2025, and filed on Tuesday, the DSS accused the three defendants, along with other suspects still at large, of conspiring to assault its officers while they were performing their official duties without any valid justification.
The DSS alleged that on February 17, 2025, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, the three defendants obstructed DSS (State Security Service) officers from performing their official duties without any reasonable cause.
The defendants were also accused of cyberstalking by allegedly recording and disseminating false information on social media, which was circulated nationwide with the intention of inciting public disorder.
Furthermore, the DSS claimed that Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Adetu Adekunle, and Fatimoh Adetola conspired to commit a felony by deliberately spreading misleading electronic messages on social media to embarrass the State Security Service and its personnel.
The agency also accused Ibrahim Olanrewaju and Adetu Adekunle of using an iPhone 12 Pro Max to record false information, which was then shared on social media with the intent to discredit the DSS and incite public unrest.
The DSS alleged that on or about February 17, 2025, at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adetu Adekunle used his Techno POP 8 to record false information, which he then shared on social media with the intention of embarrassing the DSS and inciting public disorder.
According to the DSS, the alleged offences violate Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, as well as Sections 27(1)(b), 24(1)(b), 24(c)(i), and 11 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended), 2024.
Mr. Falana confirmed to SaharaReporters on Sunday morning that the three individuals were released on Saturday night after meeting their bail conditions.
“I intervened by contacting the Director General of the State Security Service. Upon our intervention, the DG ordered that they be granted bail. They met the bail conditions and were released last night,” Mr Falana said.
On Saturday, reports emerged that the DSS had arrested three individuals linked to the assault on its officers during the recent crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The arrests followed a request from the Lagos Assembly for enhanced security at the complex, as detailed in a letter dated February 14, 2025, and signed by Acting Clerk A.T.B. Ottun.
The letter, referenced LSHA/FAD/0/7554/323, instructed the DSS to implement strict access control at the Assembly complex from February 15 until further notice.
The DSS, along with other security agencies, was invited by the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership to maintain order following intelligence reports that loyalists of the ousted Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, were planning to forcefully reinstate him.
According to sources, some lawmakers had mobilised supporters to the Assembly complex, leading to an attack on DSS officers who were present to secure the facility.
In a leaked memo dated February 14, 2025, the Lagos Assembly informed the DSS Director and other security agency heads in the state of credible intelligence suggesting that Hon. Mudashiru Obasa planned to forcefully reinstate himself on February 18, 2025.
Citing this as a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members, the Assembly management requested the deployment of DSS officers to strengthen security at the complex.
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