LAGOS—Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday arrested and detained two members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Lanre Afinni and Sylvester Ogunkelu, at the agency’s office in Magodo, Lagos.
A source within the Assembly, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the lawmakers were being interrogated in connection with the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa was ousted on January 13 by 35 members of the House and was subsequently replaced by the former Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda. In response to the detention of their colleagues, the Deputy Speaker, Mojeed Fatai, alongside other lawmakers, visited the DSS office in a bid to secure their release.
Reacting to the development, a socio-political group, Concerned Citizens of Lagos, condemned what it described as an attempt to undermine democracy in the state.
In a statement issued by its representative, Murphy Ajibola, the group expressed concerns over the arrests, stating: “These actions appear to be part of a broader strategy to pressure the Assembly into overturning the removal of the former Speaker. This orchestrated campaign against elected representatives is not just an attack on individual lawmakers; it is an assault on democracy.”
The statement further emphasized that legislative bodies serve as a check on executive power and represent the will of the people. “When lawmakers are intimidated or arrested under questionable circumstances, democracy is at risk,” the group added.
As of press time, there has been no official statement from the DSS regarding the arrests, and efforts to obtain further details remain ongoing.
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