“Lagos Assembly Staff Remanded by Court Over Alleged Assault on DSS Officers”
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of three staff members of the Lagos State House of Assembly in the custody of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) following allegations of assaulting DSS officers. Justice Daniel Osiagor issued the ruling on Tuesday after DSS counsel, Michael Bajela, requested the arraignment of the accused. However, the judge decided to review the case file before proceeding with the trial.
The accused—Ibrahim Olanrewaju, Adetu Adekunle, and Fatimoh Adetola—will remain in DSS custody until their formal arraignment, which is set for tomorrow.
The DSS, in the case FHC/L/273C/2025, alleged that the trio, along with others still at large, conspired to obstruct security operatives performing official duties at the Lagos State House of Assembly on February 17, 2025. The charges against them include:
- Assaulting DSS officers while they were carrying out their official duties.
- Cyberstalking by recording and distributing false information on social media, allegedly aimed at inciting public unrest.
- Willfully misdirecting electronic messages to embarrass the DSS and its officials.
The security agency claims that Olanrewaju and Adekunle used an iPhone 12 Pro Max, and Adekunle also used a Techno POP 8, to record and circulate misleading content online, allegedly intended to destabilize public order.
The alleged offences contravene Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act (2004) and various provisions of the Cybercrimes Act (2015, as amended in 2024).
In response to the arrest, the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly strongly condemned the detention of the staff members. Babatunde Ogunlana, Chairman of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) in Lagos, called for the immediate release of the detained individuals. Speaking to lawmakers and the media, Ogunlana urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the DSS Director-General, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and other relevant authorities to intervene in the matter.
Ogunlana declared that PASAN would not back down in its demand for justice, adopting a firm stance of “No Retreat, No Surrender” until the detained staff members are freed. The situation has sparked tensions, as the political and legal implications of the case continue to unfold.
