The appointments of new heads of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) signal the beginning of new expectations for Nigeria’s intelligence-gathering landscape.
Development Diaries reports that President Bola Tinubu approved the appointments of Mohammed Mohammed as the Director General of the NIA and Adeola Ajayi as his equivalent at the DSS, after Ahmed Abubakar and Yusuf Bichi, respectively, stepped down from the roles.
As the president has charged the new security chiefs to work towards tackling security challenges facing the country, we also want to remind them to ensure that their agencies respect the rule of law.
The DSS has been involved in several incidents where its actions were perceived as disrespectful to the rule of law. It should be noted that the serial disregard for the rule of law and disobedience of court orders which was evident under the former administration has continued unabated under President Tinubu.
Some notable instances include the arrest and detention of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in June 2023, the disrespect of the judiciary and undermining legal processes by holding him in custody despite court rulings.
Another instance is the dramatic incident where DSS operatives attempted to rearrest Emefiele within the courtroom premises after the court had granted him bail.
In August 2023, the DSS reportedly arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor and Ifeanyi Ejiofor, despite court orders that had previously granted them bail.
Still in August 2023, the publisher of Sahara Reporters and a prominent activist, Omoyele Sowore, was detained by the DSS during a protest against perceived government failures. He was held despite court orders for his release.
The DSS has also unlawfully detained journalists, the latest being a journalist with the Conversation Africa, Adejuwon Soyinka, and these detentions were carried out without proper legal procedures, highlighting the agency’s disregard for due process.
For his part, the new NIA boss has a lot on his hands in ensuring the agency’s mandate of overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations is effectively carried out.
The NIA has significantly failed Nigerians in its core mandate of intelligence gathering, as evidenced by the frequent security breaches, insurgencies, and violent conflicts across the country.
The agency’s inability to proactively identify and neutralise threats before they escalate has resulted in a continuous cycle of violence, kidnappings, and other criminal activities, leaving citizens vulnerable and questioning the effectiveness of the agency.
This failure not only undermines public trust but also highlights serious gaps in coordination, resource allocation, and strategic foresight within the agency, ultimately compromising national security.
Development Diaries calls on the new heads of the DSS and NIA to lead with transparency, accountability, a relentless commitment to the security of Nigeria, and in line with the rule of law.
We also call on President Tinubu to ensure that the agencies are strengthened to meet their evolving intelligence gathering needs to be more effective in detecting and preventing attacks.