• With focus on restorative justice, terror convictions, and respect for rights
As the Department of State Services (DSS) marks its 40th anniversary, Oluwatosin Ajayi, its Director-General, has orchestrated a remarkable transformation of Nigeria’s premier domestic intelligence agency. In just two years, he has shifted the DSS from an organisation once feared for arbitrary arrests and press freedom violations to one celebrated for restorative justice, human rights compliance, and unprecedented media cooperation. Under his leadership, the agency has paid over N300 million in compensation to victims of operational errors, secured multiple death sentences and life imprisonments for terror suspects, and achieved an eight-year low in malpractice through strict law enforcement. His reforms span five pillars: law enforcement, inter-agency synergy, accountability, human rights respect, and infrastructure modernisation. From recruiting orphans as human intelligence assets to establishing creches for female staff, his people-centred philosophy has redefined intelligence work. As Nigeria confronts evolving security threats, his tenure offers a masterclass in balancing operational effectiveness with democratic accountability. He met with senior Editors for an open interactive session recently. Excerpts:
