Former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree, has revealed the identity of the well suited men who were seen in viral videos days ago conveying armed hoodlums in a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to attack #EndSARS protesters in Abuja.
These videos which were shared on Twitter on Monday also showed a police van conveying about 10 armed thugs to disrupt protests.
Following the circulation of the footages, #EndSARs protesters has accused the government of sponsoring thugs to compromise the demonstrations.
Amachree, speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, revealed that the men in suits were not DSS officials, as widely speculated, but aides to a senator.
He said just as the DSS has been able to identify and arrest impersonators, the Nigerian Army ought to do the same rather than just claim that those who opened fire on the unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll plaza may have been impersonators.
The former DSS official said;
I don’t want to follow the style of the army where they said people can buy uniforms and wear them and come out. If you wear a dark suit and tie and drive a black SUV, many people would say that is the DSS but I actually inquired about that.
I called the headquarters to find out. Those people were working for a particular senator. And if that is the case, I think they should (arrest them). If anybody tries to impersonate security personnel, he should be arrested immediately.
Amachree added;
Don’t allow it to happen and then you go ahead and then do inquiries or panels or whatever. I know a lot of people impersonating SSS, taking letters to different places have been arrested and they have been dealt with immediately. Those people you are referring to were not SSS officials.”
The armed thugs conveyed in a black government SUV with concealed number plates were seen attacking #EndSARS protesters in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja on Tuesday.
In another viral video, some of the thugs are seen jumping into a black Prado driven by a man in a suit on Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent Wuse 2.
The vehicle is seen reversing unto Hospital Avenue and then the doors are flung open while thugs wielding stones and sticks run riot.
Another vehicle, which is a black Range Rover, soon joins the thugs while four buses filled with thugs park on the roadside as more thugs alight from the buses.
There were unconfirmed reports that the thugs were coordinated by an official of the Department of State Services attached to a top government official.
However, DSS in a statement by its spokesman, Peter Afunaya, denied the allegation, adding that the agency could not identify any of the persons in the videos.
In the statement titled, ‘DSS Not Aiding Attacks on #EndSARS Protesters’ read in part”, Afunaya expressed that the false report being spewed to the public is that some of its officials attached to certain VIPs aided thugs in this regard.
In view of the false accusations, no DSS personnel has, so far, been identified to be involved in the alleged acts.
Watch some of the videos below;
When we say the thugs attacking #EndSars peaceful protesters around the country are sponsored by the government.
See new SUVs carrying thugs after the hoodlums finish causing mayhem in Wuse, Abuja. pic.twitter.com/5ClAOHXQHV
— Boma #EndSars 🇳🇬 (@9jaInformant) October 20, 2020
News Flash : Eye witness recorded thugs been drove away in govt SUV. After they just finished attacking peaceful protesters in Abuja. #EndSARS #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria pic.twitter.com/r5TjDfjMN8
— 90cAyo (@90cAyo) October 20, 2020
VIDEO OF THUGS GOING AWAY WITH SECURITY DETAILS IN ABUJA Wuse 2😨#EndSARS#EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeraNOW #EndSARSImmediately #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria
Sanwo Olu Orile Ibadan NURTW Lagos Jide Garba Adamu Clown Jack Senate Ajah Ajegunle Seyi Makinde € 1 billion USD SUVs Batch C pic.twitter.com/9FlGorHpw1
— The Duke 👑 (@Duke_CBE) October 20, 2020
They brought thugs with police van and other SUV to kill us pic.twitter.com/99TwKQINh3
— Zoom (@Johnsoninnocen3) October 20, 2020
