Disturbing Video Captures ‘DSS Personnel’ Assaulting Elderly Woman In Kano Community; Allegedly Killed Man Over Dispute
A disturbing video has surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) purportedly showing personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) assaulting an elderly woman in Kano State, Nigeria.
The alarming video, which has gone viral, appears to capture the shocking moment when the alleged DSS operatives forcefully manhandled the senior citizen.
They reportedly physically harassed the woman to prevent a gutter from passing a house belonging to one assistant director of the DSS, the country’s secret police.
The incident reportedly occurred in Badawa community in Kano State.
According to X users who shared the video on their accounts on Saturday, the DSS personnel also allegedly shot and killed a man, a resident of the community over the same issue that led to the assault of the aged woman.
A user, AM_Saleeeemv wrote: “See what your officers did in Badawa, Kano State, @OfficialDSSNG ! DSS operatives shot a young man, arrested, and molested elderly women, all allegedly in an attempt to prevent a neighborhood gutter from passing by the house of an assistant director of the DSS, in violation of town planning directives.”
Another user, Comrade Abiyos Roni, who quoted Kano-based lawyer, Barr Abba Hikima Fagge, wrote: “In Kano, operatives of the DSS shot a young man, arrested and molested women and the elderly, all allegedly in their attempt to prevent a neighborhood gutter from passing by house of an assistant director of the DSS in Badawa, in violation of town planning directives.”
Several netizens have called on the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the leadership of DSS to immediately probe the viral video.
Mahmoud wrote: “@OfficialDSSNG we need thorough and transparent investigation into this case, the outcome of investigation and judgement has to also be made public. Law enforcement are not above the law, it should be made abundantly clear that whatever they do has consequences. @NuhuRibadu.”
Chiroma wrote: “@OfficialDSSNG! You guys maybe go unanswered to this incident but bear in mind the All Knowing is holding you accountable from the one giving the orders to those following. Ranar Gobe !!!!!!!!!”
Meanwhile, the DSS recently redeployed its spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, and has not named his replacement.
While addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the service in Abuja, Afunanya explained that the new media policy of the service is to be less visible in the media and public spaces.
This decision marks a return to the service’s previous practice of operating in an opaque manner, characterised by a lack of openness and transparency in its dealings with the public and media.
