The Department of State Services (DSS) is in the news again.

Two days ago the family of one Chisom Anaele a native of Ikeduru local government area of Imo state accused the secret police of arresting and detaining their son since April 2017, without charging him to court or allowing him to meet with his lawyers, according to TheCable.

Anaele who is a pastor was arrested at his residence No 12, Nzeocha street, Aba, Abia state, on April 3, 2017, without a valid warrant of arrest.

According to his brother Vincent Anaele, he explained that “At the time of this arrest, he was on night gown which they did not allow him to change. When he demanded to know his offence, they slapped him.

“They did not tell my siblings who were in the same house with him about his offence, or the place they were taking him to, or who they were. They collected four phones and the torchlight and a wallet.”

The family later learnt he was arrested for a comment he made on the social media. Since his detention in April every effort by the family to secure his release or for him to meet his lawyers proved abortive as the DSS has refused to attend to them.

An official of the DSS in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital was said to have requested for money from the family so that the man can be bailed after being arraigned in a court of law. The family said it paid the agreed sum but Chisom was not arraigned as promised.

The family has sent a protest letter on the illegal detention of their son to the headquarters of the DSS but they are yet to get reprieve despite all efforts by their lawyer Austin Nwosu.

The continuous detention of Chisom Anaele is a brazen act of Wickedness by the DSS and a contravention of his fundamental human right. If the DSS believes it has a case against him, it should forthwith arraign him before a competent court of law and not by detaining him illegally.