Just in: Mailafia released from DSS custody after being grilled for over three hours
by Nwafor
By Marie-Therese Nanlong
Dr. Obadiah Mailafia at last regained his freedom after being interrogated by the officials of the Department of State Services, DSS in their office in Jos, the Plateau State capital for over three hours.
Mailafia, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN was invited to appear on Monday before the DSS for the third time in less than two months following some allegations about internal security in a radio interview he granted in Lagos.
He honoured the invitation few minutes past 11am and was not let go until about 2.50 p.m, when he emerged the embrace of his sympathizers who cheered his release.
Upon his release, Mailafia, while speaking with journalists commended the DSS for their professionalism in the discharge of their duties saying the DSS exhibited high sense of professionalism in the way they handled the matter as he said he was not maltreated not intimidated in any guise but urged them to ensure that this should be the last invitation to him on the issue.
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“What l said has nothing to with politics , l only spoke as a free citizen of this country and as such, l am the voice of the thousands of the voiceless of the citizens of this country. Muslims and Christian youths have taken and accepted me as their voice, so, l am the voice of the holy martyrs, so if l perish, l perish. God help Nigeria.”
Before being ushered into the premises of DSS this morning, he had said, “I am ready to perish for speaking the mind of million of Nigerian over the incessant killings of innocent citizens going on presently in the country. I don’t know why I have been invited again, this is the third time that they invited me to their office and I honor it. There has not been any instances that warrant any crises in the country after the interview which I granted a radio station in Lagos. Once again ,they have invited me so as a law abiding citizen of this great country, I honourably honour their invitation.
“Let me say that this has nothing to do with politics, I spoke in the interview as a citizen of this country who loves the people of this country, I am the voice of thousands of voiceless people. Thousands of innocent people have been killed in this country in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Southern Kaduna, Benue and Plateau State where we are today. I am the voice of the holy martyrs and if I perish, I perish.”
However, his Counsel, Barr Yakubu Bawa, added that there is no doubt that the constant invitation of Dr. Mailafia by the DSS has made him pass through psychological trauma and expressed hope that this would be the last invitation extended to him.