Heavily armed operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) yessterday evening invaded the headquarter premises of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and the Channels Television in Abuja.

The operatives, who invaded the two media establishments in gestapo manner, seized all the security men at both premises and beat up those who insisted they must identify themselves.

This reporter who personally witnessed the invasion of the Channels Television office, saw the SSS men come into the IGI House located in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja where Channels TV has its Abuja office, engaged the security men of IGI in fearce verbal and physical war, forcing them to open their gates to allow their operational bus enter the premises.

After they had their way, the SSS personnel, numbering up to ten, climed the stair case with speed and also descended on the security man who works with the Channels Television, because he inquired who they were and their mission.

Immediately one of them informed him that they were SSS operatives, the security man, demanded to see their identity, but was immediately descended upon by another SSS man, who gave him dirty slaps and shoved him violently as if he was on a "guerilla attack".

This reporter who witnessed all what that happened, simply asked the security man to "please give way to them, since they seem to be from the office they had claimed". 

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Wanting to call the one who seem to be the most senior officer among them to explain to him the importance of properly identifying themselves, especially as there was no difference betwen the way his men acted and the way armed robbers invaded some media house out-stations in Abuja recently, the man brushed this reporter aside and ordered all the Channels Television station to hands up, after which they locked the Abuja office door of the station.

After a few moments, they marched off all the Channels Televison staff down stairs and asked them not to come back to the office until they are they are through with their mission.

At the NAN premises, staff of the organization who spoke with this reporter told of how they barricaded the entire premises, rnasacked everywhere, took away some documents and whisked off some of their senior editors.

However, the staff denied that NAN ran any story concernig the resignation of President Umar Musa Yar'Adua, insisting that "the story is not from us.  It is not in our bulletin.  We do not know where they got it from". 

The vexacious story has to do with the claim by the television station that president Yar'Adu wil resign today after a purported cabinet reshuffle. 

The presidency and Information minister, John Odey had warned journalisist of publishing materials which are sensitive to "national security" due to its implications, especially after the series of stories on the state of health of the president.