The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency to stop arresting individuals over matters that are purely civil in nature.
Ajayi said the directive was part of ongoing reforms within the DSS aimed at strengthening respect for the rule of law, accountability and human rights.
Speaking during a media interview on Thursday, the DSS boss said he had introduced reforms covering law enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, accountability, human rights, as well as administrative and infrastructural development.
According to him, the reforms are designed to ensure that operatives properly distinguish between civil disputes and criminal offences.
He warned against the use of security powers to resolve matters that should ordinarily be handled by the courts.
“You cannot apply the use of force in civil matters. Even some criminal matters don’t require force,” Ajayi said.
DSS To Use Courts For Civil Matters
Ajayi said his professional experience had shown that civil and criminal cases were sometimes treated alike in the past, but stressed that the DSS was adopting a different approach under his leadership.
He stated that he had instructed his operatives not to make arrests in civil cases.
“Yes. I have told my people that there should be no arrest in any civil case,” he said.
The DSS chief said the agency had applied the approach in cases involving journalists and civil society organisations.
He cited the case involving political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, concerning allegations surrounding an attempt to establish a “shadow government.”
Rather than arrest Utomi, Ajayi said the DSS sought judicial interpretation of the matter. He added that the court later ruled that the alleged political project was unconstitutional, illegal and posed a threat to national security.
SERAP Case Also Went To Court
Ajayi also referred to a legal dispute involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which had gone to court over allegations that two DSS operatives invaded its premises.
According to the DSS Director-General, the agency allowed the matter to follow the judicial process instead of resorting to arrests.
He said the court eventually awarded more than N100 million in favour of SERAP.
Ajayi Describes Journalists As Professional Colleagues
The DSS boss also spoke about the relationship between the agency and the media, describing journalists as the organisation’s “professional colleagues.”
He explained that while journalists provide information to the public, the DSS supplies intelligence to the government.
“I call you guys our professional colleagues. The only difference is that, while you inform the public, we inform the Government,” Ajayi said.
He added that information gathered by the DSS remains classified until the agency decides to declassify it.
The directive marks a renewed emphasis on judicial processes, operational accountability and respect for human rights, with DSS operatives expected to avoid using arrest powers in disputes that are fundamentally civil matters.
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