The Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday, lamented that most Nigerians see it as brute, and not friend. It, therefore, called on stakeholders to collaborate in changing the perception.
Delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, regretted that the situation was affecting the quality and quantity of intelligence, “and by extension, peace building and national integration.”
In his lecture titled: ‘The Roles of the DSS in Security, Peacekeeping and National Integration,’ he canvassed strengthening of intelligence agencies, reorientation on roles, and a rethink on recruitment and staffing of institutions.
Represented by the Deputy Director, Patrick Ikenweiwe, the DG said despite the observed constraints, the secret police has continued to leverage synergy with sister agencies, and engage with stakeholders to navigate the challenges.
The lecture, which also overviewed the prevailing internal security challenges in the country, identified traditional threats to national security to include sabotage, subversion and espionage.
In his address, the Director, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Prof. Abdulganiyu Jawondo, said the centre was established in 2008 to fashion manpower to tackle the various crises and conflicts of resource management confronting Nigerian communities and the globe at large.
However, wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, has applauded the agency for its conscious effort at placing women in key leadership positions, restating her avowed commitment to empowering the gender in the country.
The First Lady also noted President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering determination to ensuring that women are included in leadership roles. She spoke during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the DSS, led by the Deputy Director-General, Mrs Afolashade Adekayaoja, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
While appreciating the gesture, Tinubu highlighted the current administration’s priority of empowering women to ensure their active participation in decision-making at all levels.
She emphasised the importance of according recognition and rewarding contributions of women in various sectors, stating that leadership positions held by them serve as representation of other women across the federation.
Her Media Assistant, Busola Kukoyi, in a statement, quoted the First Lady as expressing confidence that women in leadership positions would support one another, work collaboratively, and discharge their responsibilities diligently to ensure progress for the nation. Adekayaoja, in her remarks, applauded the First Lady and her husband for their support towards advancing the cause of women in the country.
The DSS Deputy Director General also commended the First Lady’s steadfast advocacy for gender equality and overall support for the secret police. She reaffirmed the service’s commitment to protecting the citizens, and ensuring a secure environment for the nation’s continued growth and development.
@The Guardian