Ajayi as DG DSS: Time to refresh and reform

By Francis Ebosele

On Wednesday, 28th August, 2024, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi assumed office as the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS). He took over from Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 14 September 2018, replacing Matthew Seiyefa.

For a conservative elite security outfit, what followed Ajayi’s assumption of office was unique. There was jubilation among DSS officials. There were viral videos of DSS personnel dancing and rejoicing at Ajayi’s appointment. It was obvious that Ajayi is popular among the DSS fold. Some made reference to his genteel personality, his professionalism, experience within the system, integrity and intelligence. For some, it was his people skill, his ability to connect with all, both junior and senior colleagues. By the preponderance of attributes ascribed to him, he appears a fit and proper person for the job. Obviously, he has the requisite leadership competences to lead the nation’s secret service in this era of technology where intelligence gathering and management have become more demanding.

This has also placed a huge burden on him. The burden to reposition an agency that used to stand out as an elite intelligence agency. Ajayi has been a critical part of the system, rising from the cadet cadre to his present status. At various times, he served as state director in Enugu, Rivers, Bauchi, Kogi, and Bayelsa states. This makes him a rounded and experienced spy master.

Without any doubt, the DSS needs reforms. The reforms should extend beyond operational processes, and infusion of technology into its operations. It must, and should, include improving on the welfare of personnel, capacity building, mental orientation of operatives to make them less militant, more malleable and law-abiding in their conduct. In recent years, the DSS, which by law is still the good old SSS (State Security Service) has consciously or otherwise overreached itself in the course of performing its duties.

This negative paradigm shift in its culture and orientation in many ways stymied its ability to play its core roles in a democratic community such as Nigeria. Whatever happened to discreet investigation, stealth operations, unobtrusive surveillance and eagle-eye accuracy in detecting potential crime and nipping same in the bud before they ever happen?
Prevention, detection of any crime against the internal security of the country; detection and investigation of threats of espionage, subversion, sabotage, terrorism, separatist agitations, inter-group conflicts, economic crimes of national security dimension and general threats to law and order are at the heart of the mandate of the DSS.

There are also key duties including the provision of protective security for designated principal government functionaries, visiting dignitaries, sensitive installations and obliging the government and allied agencies in the nation’s security apparatchik with timely, actionable intelligence for the good and protection of the nation.

These duties are demanding, both physically and mentally. Any effective secret service must have the ability to gather intelligence secretly without attracting attention to itself. The reason the relevant operatives don’t wear uniforms is to insulate them, protect their identity and modus operandi from the publics. With that, they can hear, smell, and see without being seen. Secrecy is their weapon and intelligence (information) is their article of trade. They simply trade on information.

But some of their operatives had, in the recent past, deviated from the core standard of the organisation as a secret elite agency. The invasion of a court in Ogun State in June by DSS operatives to arrest defendants in an arson case was crude and infra-dig for an agency that should be a bastion of civility.
It is hard to forget the barricade of the National Assembly in 2018, the invasion of the Cross River State Assembly, the storming of the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo in 2015, the arrest and detention of Jones Abiri, a journalist for two years without access to his family or lawyers and without charging him to court.

Truly a long list of aberrant manifestations of an agency purposed to be an embodiment of the rule of law.
Compare those with the professional manner Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, and social justice crusader Omoyele Sowore were treated recently when both were arrested at different times at the airport for different reasons.

The DSS, under the current leadership, never allowed Ajaero’s detention to extend beyond 12 midnight. Sowore was released shortly after his arrest. This is not an act of cowardice on the part of DSS, it is an act of discretion and a demonstration that DSS can be effective within the ambit of the rule of law.
Does it not bother the DSS that the US Embassy 2021 Country Report on Nigeria specifically noted the high-handedness of the agency? Part of that report read: “Impunity, exacerbated by corruption and a weak judiciary, remained a significant problem in the security forces, especially in police, military, and the Department of State Services.”  And then this: the “police, the military, and the Department of State Services reported to civilian authorities but periodically acted outside civilian control.”

This is not a compliment. It is a rebuke and an indictment. Attitudinal change is needed. Ajayi has pledged to “refocus the service towards covertness and likelihood of studied silence over certain matters.”

This is an inspiring commitment of a leader fully aware of the task before him. Former DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, described Ajayi as “diligent, resilient, sophisticated, proactive, and analytical”, and as one who “comes to his new position with experience, capacity and immense goodwill.” May these attributes count for the man whom many see as one of President Tinubu’s best appointments.
Ajayi needs to work on the psyche and welfare of the DSS personnel. It’s time to refresh the page and reform the agency. The enthusiasm that trailed his appointment speaks to his popularity and goodwill among his people. May he translate this into giving Nigerians a secret service that is not only effective but also one free of impunity.

Mr. Ebosele, security consultant, writes from Lagos