The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency not to arrest individuals over civil matters.
Ajayi disclosed this during a media interview on Thursday, explaining that the directive was part of reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law and improving the agency’s human rights record.
The DSS Director-General said he had introduced reforms across five key areas since assuming office: law enforcement, inter-agency collaboration, accountability, respect for human rights, and infrastructural and administrative improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
According to him, the reforms had also established a clearer distinction between civil and criminal matters within the agency.
Ajayi said his experience in the service showed that civil and criminal matters had previously been conflated, 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”.
According to Ajayi, rather than arresting Utomi, the DSS approached the court for judicial interpretation of the matter.
“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.
The DSS boss also referred to 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.
Ajayi said the agency allowed the matter to proceed 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 relies on the courts to resolve civil matters, Ajayi said the approach was now part of his directive to operatives.
“Yes. I have told my people that there should be no arrest in any civil case. And I’m sure you have found out that, even in cases involving journalists, we would rather approach the court because we do the same job,” he said.
Ajayi said the reforms were intended to strengthen accountability and ensure that the agency’s operations remained within the bounds of the law while protecting citizens’ rights.
