The Department of State Services (DSS) has denied reports that its officials are currently trailing Premium Times staff over a story published by the online newspaper on the presidency.

The newspaper had alleged that agents of Nigeria’s secret police on Sunday visited the home of its editor, Musikilu Mojeed, to extract the source of a secret memo first published by the newspaper. The memo was written by the national security adviser Babagana Monguno to service chiefs, warning them against taking orders from President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff Abba Kyari.

But the DSS in a statement sent to The Witness on Sunday by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, denied the allegations stressing that the report is false, unfounded and just a needless sensationalism.

Read the full statement below:

The report that the DSS is laying siege on Premium Times and has hacked the phones of one of its staff is false in its entirety. It is unfounded and just a needless sensationalism.

There is no such operation at the moment by the Service targeted at the Premium Times, its Editor or staff. If there is any need for the DSS to discharge its duty, it sure has to do that with every sense of decency and in accordance with laid down procedures.

Now, the Service is not anywhere near the news agency. Therefore, the report should be disregarded. It is fake news.

Peter Afunanya, PhD

Public Relations Officer,

Department of State Services,

National Headquarters,

Abuja