After 18 days of incarceration, the Department of State Services (DSS) has released Afolabi Akanni, the Ekiti state assembly lawmaker whom the state government alleged died in the custody of the secret police.
On March 17, the Ekiti government caused a firestorm when it alleged that the lawmaker had died owing to ill-health.
Hours later, the DSS presented Akanni before journalists, alive but sick.
Speaking with journalists on that day, Abdullahi Garba of the DSS, had said the lawmaker was arrested for some serious breaches bordering on state security.
“You may have been aware of the recent situation in Ekiti state in which the DSS was accused of abducting the state assembly legislators,” he had said.
“The fact is that one of the members of the assembly Hon Akanni Afolabi was duly invited by the service over some serious breaches bordering on state security, and for which he has some explanations to make. These breaches fall under the purview of the DSS to investigate.
“This press conference has become necessary in order to debunk a rumour which is being dangerously spread in Ekiti state by some mischief makers to the effect that Afolabi has died in custody. Nigerians and Ekiti people in particular are convinced to see that Afolabi is hale and hearty as he is being presented to the press today.”
When asked why Akanni was still in custody despite an order of a court for his release, Garba had said: “We didn’t get the court order.”
The lawmaker was arrested on March 4, and had been in the custody of the DSS until Tuesday.
THE CABLE
