NEWS LEVERAGE

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has called for a policy mandating the recruitment of first-class graduates into the agency to enhance national security. Ajayi made this appeal during the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

Represented by DSS Deputy Director, Mr. Patrick Ikenweiwe, Ajayi stressed the need for a major shift in the recruitment and staffing processes of security agencies. He proposed that enrolling top academic performers into the DSS should become a compulsory national policy, comparing it to Israel’s selective university admission system.

Ajayi explained that intelligence work requires exceptional intellect to combat complex criminal networks, stating, “It takes intellect to track criminality.” He emphasized the importance of attracting the best minds to the agency to effectively tackle emerging threats.

The DSS DG also highlighted the need to change the public’s perception of security agencies, noting that many Nigerians view them as adversaries rather than allies. He argued that this mindset obstructs effective intelligence gathering and national unity.

In his lecture, Ajayi discussed the evolving security challenges in Nigeria, including terrorism, insurgency, and cybercrime, underscoring the pivotal role of intelligence agencies in maintaining national security.

Ajayi’s proposal aligns with similar policies already in place in some Nigerian states, such as Edo, where the government offers automatic employment to first-class graduates. His goal is to expand this initiative nationally, ensuring the recruitment of the brightest minds into the DSS to address the country’s security concerns.