President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Folashade Adekaiyaoja as the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
This marks a first in the history of the country, as the President’s approval seeks to revise the agency’s structure for greater efficiency, in line with the DSS’s original organogram.
The appointment, which was made based on the recommendation of the DSS Director-General (DG) through the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was ratified by the President.
A source close to the development stated, “It is in line with its extant regulations and unprecedented in the history of the Secret Service.”
The DSS is traditionally structured to have three Deputy Directors General in its hierarchy, and Adekaiyaoja’s appointment seeks to bring the agency’s structure back to this original framework.
Folashade Adekaiyaoja, a native of Kogi State, was widely celebrated by a cross-section of DSS officers and operatives, many of whom view her as eminently qualified for the position.
The source further noted, “The appointment has been welcomed by both serving and retired officers, who are confident it will boost career progression within the Service.”
This appointment is part of President Tinubu’s broader agenda to improve Nigeria’s security architecture.
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In line with his promise to enhance the security of life and property in the country, the President has tasked the heads of security agencies with proposing reforms to improve service delivery.
The source added, “It was on this note that the President approved the DG’s recommendation, which many serving and retired officers are confident would boost career progression in the Service.”
In his commitment to improving Nigeria’s security infrastructure, President Tinubu also announced at the National Institute for Security Studies Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 graduation ceremony in December 2024 that he would support the DSS and other security agencies with Artificial Intelligence-powered state-of-the-art equipment to address the country’s insecurity challenges.
Through the NSA, the President emphasized, “I am not oblivious of the security challenges in contemporary times, and I charge all security agencies to synergize for the common good of Nigerians.”
The DSS Director-General, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, had also assured on his assumption of office in August 2024 that sweeping reforms would be implemented within the agency. He said, “These reforms will transform the DSS into one of the most efficient covert security agencies in the world,” signaling his commitment to improving the agency’s operational capabilities.
The appointment of Folashade Adekaiyaoja as Deputy Director General is a key step in this ongoing reform effort, marking a significant milestone in the efforts to modernize and strengthen the DSS.
