President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent appointment of Mr Tosin Ajayi as the new Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) is already manifesting remarkable efforts in turning the tide against chronic insecurity. The promotion, which was warmly welcomed by all, especially those in the intelligence community both serving and retired, is even now yielding significant dividends....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING.>>
Mr President’s choice of Mr Ajayi from amongst many others aspiring for the post must be hailed for sticking strictly to merit as the new DG has all the requirements for the appointment on account of his tested track-record of performance and integrity.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The appointment of the DG is not only well-deserved but also apt in the wake of the disturbing drift into hopelessness in the contemporary times.
The slide into gross stagnation and indiscipline in recent years has apparently been informed by decline in leadership, deviation from known service principles, lack of due action as well as undue interferences from some quarters. Principles that the service was known for and built on over the years were blatantly disregarded by those at the helm.of affairs.
These were among the reasons that informed the president’s intervention by appointing the present DG.
Of course, the new DG faced several severe challenges at the time he took over the mantle of leadership. Among these were how to deal with unfit persons and how to purge the Service of wrongly employed people who were not vetted.
There were also the problems of unfit persons who flooded the Service in disregard of known service rules, on one hand, and interferences by some who really had nothing to offer that could enhance the relevance of the Service, on the other hand.
There was also the task of dealing with the problems of retired personnel who continuously interfered in the affairs of the Service.
These and other issues generated profound ill-feelings among serving personnel. The present director general was therefore determined to restore the Service to its lost glory by purging the system of retired people most of whom had little or nothing to offer to improve the performance of the SSS.
Mr Tosin Ajayi, therefore, had no option than to stop the incursion of retired persons, many of whom had nothing to offer apart from perpetuating retrogressive sentiments. A very senior officer in the Service noted that the influx of some of the retired people was done to curry favour from some interested persons.
The new DGSS is therefore being commended for having the courage of purging the system of those people and putting a stop to the engagement of undeserving retired personnel.
Mr Ajayi is also acclaimed for being tough and painstaking in ridding the service of undesirable elements in his first few months in office.
Similarly, he has drawn commendation for how he is handling the challenges posed by the engagement of some retired personnel who have performed exceptionally well and have contributed to the achievements of the Service in the past. One other cadre of personnel who the DG must step on their toes is those who are completely unfit and are known tribal and religious bigots.
The decline in professionalism especially in areas of sourcing for intelligence and conduct of operations are other areas the new DGSS has so far done much to revamp.
As pointed out previously, most of us believe that going by his antecedents in several Command appointments and diligence on the job, the DG will perform beyond expectations if he harmoniously relates well with other Service chiefs.
As a well-known team player, we believe the present DGSS has everything it takes to facilitate greater inter-service cooperation. As pointed out severally, all security organisations facing common security challenges need to liaise closely so that the country will benefit enormously from the synergy of inter-service cooperation.
Another vital function of the DSS that has suffered abuses and requires urgent regulating is the vetting process. Vetting, which is basically running security checks on the mental and character fitness of those being considered for appointment into sensitive services, has been irresponsibly handled in the past.
The new DGSS believes this responsibility has to be taken seriously and has assured that he will reassert the past approach in handling all aspects of vetting of those aspiring to take appointment in critical government positions.
It should be pointed out that a critical requirement in comparative security and intelligence management is imbibing the principles and the culture of objectivity and truth. Speaking truth to power is a critical requirement in present security intelligence practice.
Professionals in the service believe that the new DG could add value to the service and buffer security by reporting reality to those in power at all levels.
Other challenges the DGSS should tackle seriously are close monitoring and directing of those handling current security threats.
Close supervision of those in command positions in states, headquarters and directorates is vital because in current security practice, intelligence is only useful when an operative is able to deploy it to the user promptly and not distorted.
There are reports that over-staying as a result of the result of lobbying of powerful individuals has also recently crept into the Service by those holding command positions.
This has seriously affected the competence and credibility of the service in places where personnel have overstayed on duty posts. This unprofessional practice has created all forms of corruptions and lousiness in the service.
As I have consistently pointed out in a book and previous write-ups, speaking truth to power is always a critical quality that only competent security personnel can possess. It is a disposition that requires operatives to be honest and objective.
A former state governor confided that some state directors stay in their command positions in excess of the mandatory periods stipulated and in excess of Service Regulation.
Some personnel have spent up to seven years in some command appointments even when they are not performing.
Personnel who exceed stipulated duty-tours breed corruption and hinder effective service delivery.
The practice resulted in some serious irregularities in some states as a result of lobbying and interference. Fortunately, this type of irregularity was one of those that were promptly addressed by Mr Ajayi on assumption of office.
The DG in his bid to instil discipline and sanity should continue to encourage compliance with stipulated duty tours in spite of interference from vested interests.
The restoration of regular meetings with personnel is the other medium the new DGSS has been employing to keep all personnel abreast with current security challenges.
This practice has not only also assisted in keeping personnel in the know and well-informed of current security challenges, it has addressed the frustration of personnel not being in the know.
With all these, the new DGSS undoubtedly is involved in a restoration mission in the Service.
His priorities at the moment are purging the Service of retrogressive practices and sentiments that have crept into the service and undermined its competence. It is expected that the performance of those holding commands will greatly be enhanced by the current approach.
As his tenure continues to unfold, there is no doubt that President Tinubu would continue to be applauded by stakeholders in the security sector for appointing the DGSS who is expected to usher in all the desired changes in the Service to address the gaps and lapses existing in the national security architecture.…..For More READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
A. A. Gadzama, OFR, mni is Chairman, National Institute for Security Studies,
Abuja
