DSS boss bars operatives from making arrests over civil disputes

The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has instructed DSS operatives not to make arrests related to civil disputes, emphasizing that such matters should be addressed through the courts. Ajayi discussed this decision during a media interview on Thursday, stating that it is part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law, promoting accountability, and respecting human rights within the security agency.

In his first five months in office, Ajayi has introduced reforms in five key areas: law enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, accountability, human rights, and infrastructure/administrative improvements. One of the major outcomes of these reforms has been a clearer understanding of the differences between civil and criminal cases, which Ajayi believes were previously blurred.

He stated that coercive measures should not be used to resolve civil disputes, citing the case of political economist Prof Pat Utomi as an example. In this case, instead of arresting Utomi, the DSS sought judicial interpretation, which ruled his actions unconstitutional and illegal. Ajayi also mentioned the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) case, where the DSS operatives were accused of invading the organization's premises.

The matter was resolved through legal processes without any arrests, and the court awarded over N100 million to the organization. When asked if the DSS had now adopted the courts as its preferred method for resolving civil disputes, Ajayi confirmed that he had instructed his personnel to refrain from making arrests in any civil case.

He emphasized that his DSS colleagues should approach the court, as they perform similar roles. Ajayi explained that while they inform the government, journalists inform the public, and their information remains classified until declassification.