Govt. Houses lack immunity from lawful search, investigation – Lawyer

An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr Kayode Ajulo,
has said that no Government House has immunity
from lawful search and investigation by operatives
of
national security agencies.
Ajulo made this known to newsmen in Abuja on
Wednesday. He was reacting to the recent search on
the premises of Akwa Ibom Government House in
Uyo, by operatives of the Department of State
Service (DSS).
He said that the law empowered security operatives
to conduct searches on any government building if
there was credible information about possible threat
to national security. According to him, only
Diplomatic Missions of foreign government
embassies in the country are exempted from
security investigation under the Geneva Convention.
“Akwa Ibom Government House is not a Diplomatic
Mission or Foreign Government Embassy that will
require the DSS or any law enforcement agencies to
respect Geneva Convention. “Intelligence or law
enforcement agency officials can invade any
government building if there is credible intelligence
about what threatens the national security.
“Moreover, immunity conferred on governors and
their deputies, as well as President and Vice-
President, does not stop investigation and possible
prosecution, pending the expiration of their tenure,
’’he said.
Ajulo, who is also the National Secretary of Labour
Party, however, cautioned that such searches on
government premises must be done in accordance
with the provisions of extant laws.
“However, it must be done within the confine of the
laws. “State Security Service and other security
agencies, by their strategic mandate, are expected
not to be partisan and must at all times be above
suspicion, ’’he advised.