The Department of State Services (DSS) has dismissed reports circulating all over social media regarding a purported message by the Service aimed at alerting the public about the movement of terrorists into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other parts of the country.
In a statement by its spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya, the DSS also refuted reports that luxury buses of three major transport companies were hijacked on the Lokoja-Okene Road by persons suspected to be championing an ethnic agenda.
The DSS said the alert purportedly issued by the Service on the arrival of Boko Haram and other terrorist elements to the aforementioned places has been in circulation since 2013 when it was first created by mischief makers whose handiwork is to cause chaos.
Dr Afunanya noted that the reports concerning alleged attack on the luxury buses conveying a particular ethnic group to their local base were first created some years back to deceive and incite unsuspecting persons.
The public was urged to disregard the fallacious narratives and reports in their entirety, as fake news that they are.
The statement reads in part:
“DSS wishes to dismiss them as non-existent and therefore describe them as a figment of the imagination of their creators. The illusive stories are merely designed by some zealots to instigate ethno-religious and political crises of violent and destructive dimensions across the country.
“It has, however, become obvious that the main aim of engaging in these undesirable actions is to also undermine national security for the achievement of some ulterior goals.
“The Service frowned at the continuous exploitation of social, religious and tribal differences by purveyors of doom to ignite extreme violent actions among the populace.
“While security and law enforcement agencies are totally committed to sustaining maximum efforts in ensuring public safety in the Nation, citizens are enjoined to disregard these deceitful reports that do not emanate from the Service and go about their normal businesses.
“Considering that security is a collective responsibility of all and sundry, everyone is advised to be more committed in this regard and report suspicious persons to relevant security agencies nearest to them,” the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, the Service said it will continue to collaborate with sister agencies to ensure adequate protection for the people, government and critical infrastructure.
The DSS further noted that it will also not fail to make defaulters face, within the ambit of the law, consequences of their illicit activities.
