C'River : DSS denies Personnel's involvement in kidnapping, says Police misrepresents facts

The Department of State Services (DSS), Cross River State Command  has said that the allegation by the State Police command that one of its Personnel, Eyo Bassey Eyo was involved in kidnapping is a misrepresentation of what truly happened.

Adebayo Ilupeju, the State Director of DSS in a statement affirmed that Eyo was a Personnel of the Service but denied his involvement in any form kidnapping activity.

He said that he (Eyo) only accompanied three of his friends to recover money paid to one Bassey for admission in Unical but was arrested when he (Bassey) and his brothers connived and invited the Police to arrest Eyo and the trio claiming that they were kidnappers.

It will be recalled that the State Police Command yesterday paraded Eyo and three other suspects for kidnapping.

The DSS Boss has however maintained that although Eyo will be punished for illegal duty, the report that he was involved in kidnapping according to their investigation was not correct.

While adding that it was imperative for the clarification, he noted that the Service has a robust relationship with sister agencies and will continue to assist the Police in its investigation.

"The attention of the Cross River State Command of  Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to the alleged arrest of one of its personnel, Eyo Bassey EYO and his subsequent parade by the Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad of the Nigeria Police in Calabar, Cross River State over suspected kidnap.

The Command wishes to state that this is a misrepresentation of what happened. The fact is that EYO had accompanied three (3) of his friends namely Eyo EDET, Sylvia JAMES and Jason UDO to assist them recover a debt from Robert BASSEY.

Investigation has revealed that BASSEY had fleeced the trio of EDET, JAMES and UDO of a certain sum of money with a promise to help them secure admission at the University of Calabar.

But  when BASSEY could not fulfil his obligation, they demanded a refund of the money which he had defaulted severally.

The story was brought to the attention of EYO who advised that the matter be reported to the Police. His advice however fell on deaf ears and unknown to him, his friends took him along to the home of BASSEY who connived with his brothers and invited the Police claiming that they were being kidnapped.

On arrival, the Police apprehended the alleged kidnappers and EYO who was in the company of the trio.  Meanwhile,  approriate disciplinary action will be taken against Eyo for engaging in debt recovery. This is termed an illegal operation as it runs contrary to the Service’s rules for conduct of its personnel.

It became imperative that  this explanation is made in order to put things in their right perspective.  The Service maintains robust relationship with other sister agencies and will further assist the police in its investigations", the statement reads.