By Deji Adesogan
Abuja, Nigeria October 25, 2025(Series News Online)
One year into his tenure as Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi has embarked on a quiet yet transformative journey to reform the agency. Since assuming office on August 26, 2024, Ajayi has prioritized professionalism, accountability, and respect for human rights, marking a significant shift in the DSS's operational philosophy.
Under Ajayi's leadership, the DSS has made notable strides in correcting past injustices and strengthening its human rights record. In July 2025, the agency released 12 detainees who had been held under prolonged investigations and paid millions of naira in compensation. A Sokoto-based businessman who was accidentally shot during a past operation received ₦20 million and lifetime medical care from the Service. These unprecedented gestures have been hailed by human rights groups, civil society organizations, and community leaders as a bold demonstration of the Service's new commitment to fairness and justice.
"The DG wouldn't mind the source of any information bordering on the plight of persons who were unjustly detained," disclosed a senior DSS officer who spoke anonymously. This commitment to accountability has been echoed by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), which has praised Ajayi's reforms, citing compensation for wrongful detentions and a shift in operational approach.
The DSS has also achieved notable operational successes under Ajayi's leadership. Working closely with sister security agencies, DSS operatives have disrupted several terror cells, foiled kidnapping plots, and neutralized armed criminal networks across the North-East, North-West, and Middle Belt regions. The Service has equally played key roles in pre-empting threats to national institutions, preventing sabotage, and protecting critical infrastructure.
Ajayi's emphasis on intelligence-sharing and community cooperation has improved synergy between the DSS, military, police, and civil defense services. Within the Service, Ajayi has implemented sweeping internal reforms to promote merit, discipline, and gender inclusion. The appointment of Mrs. Folashade Adekaiyaoja as the first female Deputy Director-General of the DSS marked a historic milestone and underscored his commitment to inclusivity and leadership diversity.
In a major morale-boosting initiative, Ajayi approved a comprehensive welfare package that included salary and allowance increases for operatives, as well as the clearance of backlogs for officers due for promotion. These steps have significantly improved motivation, discipline, and loyalty across the Service. Many personnel describe him as a leader who listens, leads by example, and commands deep respect among staff.
As Ajayi enters his second year in office, his leadership embodies a quiet revolution within Nigeria's intelligence community, rooted in accountability, human rights, operational excellence, and respect for the rule of law. For many Nigerians, the DSS is gradually transforming from a secretive institution into a professional agency that safeguards national security while upholding citizens' rights and dignity. If sustained, Ajayi's era may well be remembered as the period the DSS truly redefined its mission in service to both the state and its people.
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