CITAD condemns harassment of its Jigawa staff by DSS
…calls for action against erring officers
By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has condemned in strong terms the alleged harassment of its staff by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Jigawa State.
CITAD maintained that harassing staff for carrying out their lawful work of promoting accountability, child protection, and human rights is unacceptable and violates both national regulations and international standards for the protection of civil society actors.
They demanded that all forms of intimidation and harassment against its staff be immediately stopped, adding that investigations should be conducted into the inappropriate behaviour of the DSS officers involved.
The Centre called on all security authorities to caution their personnel to ensure professionalism and respect for human rights in carrying out their duties.
It urged the Director-General of DSS to direct the DSS personnel to desist from harassing civil society actors.
In a statement signed by Y. Z. Ya’u, Executive Director of the Centre, the organisation reiterated its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and human rights across Nigeria.
“Our work, particularly in protecting vulnerable people, including women and empowering communities, relies on the safety and independence of our staff,” it added.
Against this backdrop, the Centre said it is deeply concerning when those fulfilling these lawful duties are subjected to intimidation or harassment.
The statement reads:
“It has come to our attention that following our March 10th press conference demanding justice for Walida Abdulhadi, our Programme Officer in Jigawa State, Mustapha Muhammad, has been subjected to repeated phone calls by officials of the Jigawa State Department of State Services (DSS), culminating in an informal summons to report to their office tomorrow, Friday, at 10:00 AM.
“We emphasize that this so-called invitation was communicated solely via phone call, without any formal written notice or clear justification, creating unnecessary pressure and intimidation.
“CITAD condemns this conduct in the strongest terms. Harassing staff for carrying out their lawful work in promoting accountability, child protection, and human rights is unacceptable and violates both national regulations and international standards for the protection of civil society actors.
“We call on the following authorities to intervene immediately:
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to direct the DSS to desist from harassing civil society actors
‘The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure professionalism and respect for human rights in their personnel.
The Nigeria Police Force
“The National Human Rights Commission to closely monitor the frequent abuse of human rights by members of the security agencies, such as those in Jigawa State
“The Office of the Inspector-General of Police to ensure professionalism and respect for human rights in their personnel
CITAD demands that:
“All forms of intimidation and harassment against our staff must be immediately stopped.
“Formal and transparent communication should be adhered to in any official requests for staff engagement.
“Investigations should be conducted into the inappropriate behaviour of the DSS officers involved.
“Relevant authorities ensure the safety, protection, and independence of civil society actors in Jigawa State and across Nigeria.
“We reiterate that CITAD staff perform their duties in line with Nigerian law and international human rights standards. Attempts to intimidate or threaten them will not deter our mission to protect vulnerable children, women, and communities. We further restate our position that the abductor of Walida Abdulhadi should be investigated and made to face the law for abduction and repeated rape of the girl.
“We urge the public, media, and civil society to remain vigilant and supportive of the protection of human rights defenders.”