Ministerial Nomination: Fashola, Dambazzau, Kachikwu Screened Afresh By Police, DSS

Ahead of the commencement of senate screening on October 13, at least 12 ministerial nominees are reported to have been screened by the police and the Department of State Service (DSS) in a fresh security screening and profiling exercise.

Punch reports that the screening exercise, which began late on Thursday, and continued into Friday, involved the scrutinising of the credentials of the nominees while the security agencies similarly conducted biometric capturing of the nominees.

This follows a previous discreet screening said to have been conducted in September 10 by the DSS which reportedly involved 36 ministerial nominees whose names were said to have been sent by President Muhammadu Buhari at the time.

A ministerial nominee is reported to have told Punch on Friday, “Some of the 21 nominees (whose names were recently sent to the Senate by President Buhari) are now being screened by the police and the DSS. The screening includes documentation and biometrics capturing. I am just leaving the police headquarters and I’m on my way to the DSS headquarters.”

As of 4pm on Friday, at least 12 nominees, including former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola; Mr Ibe Kachikwu and General Abdurahman Dambazzau, had reportedly been screened during the exercise which started at the Nigeria Police Force National Crime Data Centre, Force headquarters, Abuja.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole confirmed the screening and explained that the screening involved profiling of the nominees as well as the psychological and behavioural analyses to ensure that they are fit and proper for political office.

Kolawole did not however provide the names of the nominees who had participated in the exercise, saying she did not have the list.

She said, “The exercise started on Thursday at the NPF National Crime Data Centre at the Force headquarters and we are still expecting other ministerial nominees to come for the screening.”

Special adviser on media to the president, Mr Femi Adesina, in response to enquiries about the screening said, “Security screening is naturally a behind-the-scenes matter, thanks.”