Nigeria – The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has urged the implementation of a policy mandating the recruitment of first-class graduates into the intelligence agency to enhance national security......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
Ajayi made this call during the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
In his lecture, titled “The Roles of the DSS in Security, Peacekeeping, and National Integration,” Ajayi stressed the necessity for a paradigm shift in recruitment and staffing within security agencies to ensure only the most talented minds are enlisted.
Represented by the DSS Deputy Director, Mr. Patrick Ikenweiwe, Ajayi advocated for recruiting top academic performers into the DSS as a compulsory national policy, drawing a parallel to Israel’s selective university admission system.
Changing public perception of security agencies
Ajayi emphasised the need for a shift in public perception, noting that many Nigerians view security agencies as adversaries rather than allies.
He warned that such attitudes negatively impact intelligence gathering, peacebuilding, and national integration.
Highlighting the critical role of intelligence agencies in safeguarding national security, Ajayi argued that intelligence work requires exceptional intellect to tackle sophisticated criminal networks.
Comparing recruitment Policies
Citing Israel’s university admission system, Ajayi said, “Like I know, in Israel, there is one examination that students take to get admitted into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.” He contended that intelligence work demands high intellectual capacity to track and combat criminal activities effectively.
Advocacy for first-class graduates in intelligence agencies
Ajayi stated, “Tell me how would a ‘Dundee’ (dullard) be able to keep security in a criminal gang that is constituted of First Class people? You know, it takes intellect to track criminality.”
He further proposed that academia should supply the DSS with the details of students who have excelled in their various fields of study so that they would be mandated to serve the nation.
Tackling complex security Cchallenges
Addressing Nigeria’s security landscape, Ikenweiwe noted that traditional threats such as sabotage, subversion, and espionage have evolved into more complex challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, separatist agitations, militancy, cybercrime, and economic sabotage.
He reaffirmed the DSS’s commitment to tackling these threats through strategic collaborations with sister agencies and continuous stakeholder engagement.
List of DGs who served at Nigerian DSS
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Department of State Services (DSS) stands as a sentinel, safeguarding the nation’s internal security.
The DSS, a successor to the National Security Organization, was established to address the evolving threats within Nigeria.