The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency to stop arresting individuals over civil matters.
Ajayi disclosed this during a media interview on Thursday, saying the directive was part of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening adherence to the rule of law and improving the DSS’s human rights record.
According to him, since assuming office, he had introduced reforms in five key areas: law enforcement, inter-agency collaboration, accountability, respect for human rights, as well as infrastructural and administrative reforms to improve operational efficiency.
The DSS chief said the reforms had also helped the agency establish a clearer distinction between civil and criminal matters.
Ajayi explained that his professional experience showed that the DSS had previously sometimes treated civil and criminal issues alike, stressing that the use of force was inappropriate in civil disputes.
“You cannot apply the use of force in civil matters. Even some criminal matters don’t require force,” he said.
He cited the case involving political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, over allegations concerning an attempt to establish a “shadow government.” Ajayi said the DSS chose to seek judicial interpretation instead of arresting him.
“Rather than arrest him, we sought judicial interpretation. And the court ruled that his adventure was unconstitutional, illegal, and a threat to national security,” he said.
Ajayi also cited a case involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, which had approached the court over allegations that two DSS operatives invaded its premises.
He said the agency pursued the matter through the courts without making any arrests, adding that the court eventually awarded more than N100 million in favour of SERAP.
Asked whether the DSS now intends to rely on the courts in civil matters, Ajayi responded in the affirmative.
“Yes. I have told my people that there should be no arrest in any civil case,” he said.
He added that the agency would also prefer to approach the courts in cases involving journalists, describing journalists as the DSS’s “professional colleagues.”
According to Ajayi, while journalists provide information to the public, the DSS provides information to the government, which remains classified until officially declassified.
