The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised an alarm over plans by unnamed politicians to paint its Director-General, Yusuf Bichi and some of its key officials in a bad light.
The information, contained in a statement was signed by its spokesperson Peter Afunanya on Tuesday.
The statement linked the threat to the “service’s uncompromising stance on some critical governance and policy issues.”
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The DSS noted that the politicians and “disgruntled elements” within and outside the government have recruited civil and non-governmental organisations to discredit its Director-General.
The statement read partly: “Also, sections of the media have been briefed to implement the strategy through sponsored articles, commentaries and features to malign the DG, his family and select officials of the service.
“The service is monitoring developments and will allow the plotters to either exhaust themselves or rescind the plan of action. Otherwise, no amount of intimidation, harassment and blackmail will deter it from discharging its duties.
“However, it would not idly watch a group of dissatisfied gangs undermine the service and its highly dedicated leadership and management”.
The DSS further warned Nigerians to be “wary of these tendencies and ignore the antics of dark forces out to impugn the character of the DG”.
The development is believed to follow the growing contention between the members of Civil Society Organisations and the DSS over Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
In the twilight of 2022, the organisation had exposed a covert plot by the DSS to arrest Emefiele on charges bordering on terrorism.
Subsequently, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court confirmed the plot in a judgement restraining the DSS and four respondents from arresting Emefiele.
The court held that the DSS acted wrongfully and illegally in instigating President Muhammadu Buhari against Emefiele in respect of the exercise of his statutory duty.
Meanwhile, members of the coalition groups have recently gone underground for fear of arrest, after one of their members Godwin Meliga was allegedly assaulted and whisked away from his Gwarinpa residence by DSS operatives.