The daughter of an Ekiti resident detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) has raised the alarm over what she described as secretive and incommunicado detention of her father, who was reportedly arrested three days ago by operatives said to have come from Lagos.
In a video posted on her Instagram page on Wednesday, the distraught woman alleged that her father was arrested in Ekiti on Sunday over a SIM card he reportedly purchased during a previous visit to Lagos. The SIM card was reportedly previously used by kidnappers.
She added that family members have been denied access to him since the arrest.
According to her, the SIM was duly registered and purchased lawfully, yet her father has been held without explanation.
“On Monday, I got a call that my dad has been arrested by DSS, that they came from Lagos to take him in Ekiti,” she said. “The same SIM he bought in Lagos when he came to see me is what they are holding him over. This thing is a registered SIM. I heard that he even took the pack along.”
She accused DSS operatives of blocking communication between her father and the family, adding that attempts by relatives to visit the detention facility were met with threats and firearms.
“They are not letting us communicate with him. They are not allowing anybody to see him. People that went there said they are using guns to chase them away,” she lamented.
“At first, they said he was not there; later they admitted he is there but still refused access. What exactly is the problem?”
She further revealed that her father is battling health challenges and expressed concern that the lack of access and medical care could exacerbate his condition.
“Please, this man has health issues. I beg. I don’t know what exactly happened, but I beg that this video helps,” she pleaded.
The DSS has not issued any official response or clarification on the arrest, the allegations of denial of access, or the reported threats at the Ekiti office.
Arbitrary arrests and prolonged incommunicado detentions have remained recurring complaints against security agencies, despite constitutional guarantees of legal counsel, humane treatment, and family access for detainees.
Family members say they are demanding immediate access, a clear statement of charges, and medical review to ascertain his condition.
Leave a Reply