Osinbajo sacks DSS director-general in response to storming of National Assembly

ACTING president Professor Yemi Osinbajo has reacted swiftly to the storming of the National Assembly by security forces this morning by immediately terminating the appointment of the director general of the Department of State Security (DSS) Lawal Daura.

This morning, Nigerians woke up to the drama of masked DSS men sealing off the National Assembly premises, preventing legislators and their aides from going to their offices. In a drama that is unfolding by the minute, senators loyal to President Buhari are said to now converging in Sheraton Hotel as the plot to impeach senate president Senator Saraki and his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu grows.

Yusuph Olaniyonu, Senator Saraki's special adviser said: “The senators loyal to the government are now convening in Sheraton Hotel where the illegal impeachment exercise will be commencing.”

Irate senators who confronted the security men, condemned what they described as a major assault on democracy, saying using force of arms to prevent them going about their lawful business was unconstitutional. It is not yet clear if President Buhari, who is currently in London was aware of the plan but Professor Osinbajo who is in charge of the country for now has acted swiftly.

Laolu Akande, Professor Osinbajo's spokesman, said: "Acting president Yemi Osinbajo has directed the termination of the appointment of the director-general of the DSS Mr Lawal Musa Daura. Mr Daura has been directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice."

 Over the last fortnight, Nigeria has been engulfed in high stakes political drama after about 15 senators, 37 members of the House of Representatives and three governors left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), defecting to the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Scoring a coup of its own, the APC has successfully wooed the minority leader in the senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the former Akwa Ibom State governor and a leading PDP member who is planning to formally defect at a rally in Ikot Ekpene tomorrow.

With tensions growing, there have been calls for Senator Saraki, who led the defections to reconvene the senate, which is currently on recess. As meetings were being called to discuss this, things took a surprise turn this morning with masked DSS men sealing off the National Assembly premises, preventing legislators and their aides from going to their offices.