Following the alleged representation of the Department for State Services (DSS) by Isa Yahaya Mohammed at the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, the agency stated that it is actively probing the matter to ascertain the veracity of the claim.
Last week on Tuesday, Mohammed, who asserted himself as a DSS official, appeared as a witness at the Tribunal and provided testimony exonerating Governor Mbah from the alleged forgery of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
In addition to clearing the Governor’s name, Mohammed pointed fingers at the NYSC, accusing them of covering up critical information, conducting a shoddy investigation, and making premature judgments.
At the hearing presided over by Justice Kudirat Akano, Mohammed asserted that the NYSC’s investigation into Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate was conducted hastily and inaccurately.
He presented compelling information, indicating that certificates bearing the same series as Mbah’s were legitimately given to corps members in Lagos, challenging the NYSC’s accusation of its inauthenticity.
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After Mohammed’s appearance at the tribunal, the DSS has been doused with queries from various sources, prompting the secret service to issue a temporary statement to address the situation.
The statement confirms that thorough investigations are underway concerning Mohammed and the circumstances surrounding his involvement at the tribunal.
Upon being questioned by reporters, Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the DSS, disclosed that the Service is presently carrying out an in-depth investigation on the subject.
Pressed for more details, Afunanya held his ground and maintained that the agency’s investigation was ongoing, refusing to share any further information at this time.
While testifying at the tribunal, Mohammed stated he was a serving deputy director overseeing DSS operations, but his written deposition revealed an inconsistency, stating he was Deputy Director (Strategy).
At the Tribunal, Mohammed cited the NYSC’s deficient record-keeping system as the primary reason they were unable to trace Mbah’s initial certificate.
Providing his evidence, Mohammed revealed his role as the DSS Deputy Director of the Operations and Strategic Department.
He further stated that the agency’s investigation into the discharge certificate issue was prompted by Mbah’s petition submitted on February 8, 2023.
In his statement, Mohammed declared his position as the DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department, and informed the tribunal that the agency initiated an investigation into the discharge certificate controversy based on a petition from Mbah dated February 8, 2023.
He stated that at each step of their interaction, Mbah and NYSC maintained an ongoing exchange of correspondence.
Several reports have been published indicating that Mohammed is a retired Assistant Director of the DSS, sparking an investigation into the accuracy of his credentials.
