Udom sacks 20 DSS personnel from security team

Governor Udom Emmanuel has carried out a massive overhaul in the security architecture at Government House, Uyo. TheMail Newspaper learnt on good authority that the “cleansing” carried out  affects only personnel of the State Security Service (SSS).

The SSS which is also known as Department of the State Service (DSS) offers close /immediate protection for the governor.

The paper understands that 10 personnel of the secret police have been transferred out of Government House to another state command. Another 10 are expected to be deemed surplus to demands in Hilltop Mansion soon, making it a total of 20 DSS personnel affected by the overhaul.

We learnt on good authority that back in April, 20 DSS personnel were sent to Abuja by the DSS High Command. Sources told TheMail that the governor released money to enable them get apartments to stay while waiting for the appropriate time to flush out those affected by the overhaul.

The process of the overhaul was eventually activated penultimate week with 10 DSS personnel who have stayed with the present administration for some years being redeployed to other state commands. The new personnel who had been in the state bidding time for about 2 months finally assumed their new responsibilities immediately.

Sources told the newly deployed personnel had initially felt uncomfortable with the idea of being transferred to Akwa Ibom Government House, saying that the government is in its twilight, hence nothing much would be there for them to benefit.

But the paper learnt that the governor had given them assurances that they would be treated well, and that they would be retained by his successor.

In a bid to make good his promise, this paper understands that the governor had sponsored the newly deployed personnel on a refresher course to enable them meet up with the demands of their new responsibilities.

A government source who is one of the governor’s go-to-man in the aspect of security confirmed the development, saying the governor did the flushing out of the old personnel in order to avoid leakage of sensitive government information.

“The old guys (DSS personnel) had become too accustomed to many politicians in the state, many of whom are now not supporting the succession agenda of the governor. Some of the (DSS) guys have been with us from inception of this government. We have credible intel that they have been leaking sensitive information about Governor Udom and Umo Eno, especially as it relates to their political moves. They have been keeping in touch with the likes of Akan Okon, Bassey Albert and even former Governor Akpabio.

“Some of them leak government information to their colleagues working with some of these politicians who are against Umo Eno. It was necessary to nip it in the bud”, said our source.

When contacted, some of the affected DSS personnel refuted claims that they leaked government information to opposition elements.

“It is not true. It is a case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. I and my colleagues have been absolutely professional throughout our stay here. That we are acquainted with some politicians does not mean we leak information to them.

“The truth is that the governor was badly informed. And even throughout our stay there in Uyo Government House, nothing in us will make you believe we worked there. How many of us have bought new cars? How many of us have houses built as a result of us protecting the governor? Our colleagues who have taken over from us have been sent on refresher course, was same done for us? Just one year to the end of tenure which we were expecting that we will be given a thank you package by the governor when he is about to leave office, we have been thrown out just like that. If we didn’t feel the impact of working with a governor, we shouldn’t be given bad names as justification for our reassignment”, said one of the affected DSS agents.