Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency to stop arresting individuals over civil matters, saying such disputes should be resolved through the courts.
Ajayi disclosed this during an interview with selected media executives on Thursday, describing the directive as part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law, improving accountability and enhancing the agency's human rights record.
He said the reforms introduced since he assumed office cover five key areas, including law enforcement, inter-agency collaboration, accountability, respect for human rights, and infrastructural and administrative improvements to boost operational efficiency.
According to the DSS chief, the agency has also established a clearer distinction between civil and criminal matters, acknowledging that the two were previously treated interchangeably.
"You cannot apply the use of force in civil matters. Even some criminal matters don't require force," Ajayi said.
He cited the case involving political economist Pat Utomi, who faced allegations over an attempt to establish a "shadow government," as an example of the agency's new approach.
"Rather than arrest him, we sought judicial interpretation. The court ruled that his adventure was unconstitutional, illegal, and a threat to national security," he said.
Ajayi also referred to a legal dispute involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which accused two DSS operatives of invading its office.
He noted that the matter was resolved through the courts without any arrest, adding that judgment was eventually delivered in favour of the operatives.
The judgment, delivered in May 2026, awarded more than N100 million in damages to the two DSS officials for alleged defamation. SERAP has since appealed the ruling.
Ajayi said he had instructed all DSS operatives that no individual should be arrested over civil disputes, stressing that such cases should always be taken before the courts.
He added that the same principle would apply in matters involving journalists.
"We do the same job," Ajayi said, describing journalists as "professional colleagues" of the DSS.
"The difference is that journalists inform the public, while the DSS informs the government," he added.
