DSS Boss Advocates for First-Class Graduates in Intelligence Recruitment

The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has suggested that only first-class graduates should be recruited into Nigeria’s intelligence agency. He believes this will improve security by ensuring that only the smartest individuals handle intelligence work. Ajayi shared this view at a lecture at the University of Ilorin, where he was represented by Deputy Director Patrick Ikenweiwe.

He explained that intelligence work is complex and requires highly skilled individuals. Since many criminal groups are smart, security agencies need equally intelligent officers to track and stop them. He questioned why Nigeria should recruit all graduates when only the best should be selected. He also compared Nigeria’s system to Israel’s, where top students are given university admission, suggesting a similar approach for security recruitment.

Ajayi also spoke about how Nigerians see security agencies, saying many people view them as enemies instead of allies. This, he said, makes it harder for officers to gather information and maintain peace. He urged Nigerians to support security agencies, as they are there to protect the country.

Ikenweiwe added that security threats in Nigeria now include terrorism, cybercrime, and economic sabotage. He referenced laws that empower the DSS to prevent crimes and provide intelligence to the government. He assured that the DSS remains committed to protecting Nigeria through collaboration with different stakeholders.