These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

The acting Director-General of the Department of State Services ( DSS), Matthew Seiyefa, has said the service was reviewing all cases of alleged unlawful detentions and human rights abuses by the service.

Seiyefa, who disclosed this during his maiden interaction with journalists on Thursday in Abuja, said the service would remain focused and professional in protecting national interest, assuring that it will respect the rights of groups or individuals as long as they are legitimate.

The secret service chief also promised to partner with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders in the country to provide security to the citizenry, adding that “the issue of having a spokesperson to respond to media inquiries is under active consideration”

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The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday unfroze the bank accounts of the Benue government which had sparked up debates in the country in the last few days.

The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom, Terver Akase, confirmed the new development in an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.

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A former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Ita Ekpenyong, was reportedly arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday. 

The arrest, said to be part of an ongoing probe of the sacked DG of the agency, Lawal Daura, is in connection with funds reportedly released to the DSS and NIA for the conduct of the 2015 election, while Ekpenyong was at the helm of affairs in the agency.

The funds amounting to N17 billion is believed not to have been fully utilised and the two former DSS chiefs could not account for it in the last three years.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, who confirmed the search of Ekpenyong’s home said, “Our men went there to do the work that they were prevented from doing about ten months ago,” but did not give further details.

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The National Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday, August 14.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, who reportedly disclosed this on Thursday, said the agenda will primarily be the presidential budget request to fund INEC’s operations for the 2019 polls.

Other pending matters expected to be attended to, on the resumption of the National Assembly include: the confirmation of some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees — the Chairman of the Board of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire.

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At least 17 Nigerian soldiers were killed in a fresh Boko Haram attack on a military base in Garunda village of Borno, military sources said Thursday, the third assault on three different bases in less than a month.

A military source, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak on the incident told AFP : “Our troops came under attack from Boko Haram terrorists in Garunda last night, Unfortunately we lost 17 troops, 14 others were injured while an unspecified number is still unaccounted for.”

The source added that the heavily armed jihadists riding in trucks stormed and looted weapons and vehicles before fleeing.