In a major boost to the morale of the Department of State Services (DSS) operatives, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Folashade Arinola Adekaiyaoja as Deputy Director General for the Service.

The approval, the first by any President, has drawn commendation from a large section of serving and retired DSS officers who see the move as largely aimed at restoring professionalism to the Service.

The presidential approval, it was gathered, seeks to revise the agency’s structure for better efficiency, in line with the original organogram of the service. Checks revealed that the DSS is structured to comprise three Deputy Directors General in its hierarchy.

The appointment and ratification by the President, according to elated operatives of the agency, were based on the recommendation of the DG, through the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam

Nuhu Ribadu. They revealed that it is in line with its extant regulations and unprecedented in the history of the Secret Service.

The appointment of Adekaiyaoja, a native of Kogi State, it was gathered, is being celebrated by a cross-section of officers and operatives who see her as eminently qualified for the position.

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It was further gathered that President Tinubu had, in line with his promise to improve the security of life and property of Nigerians, tasked the heads of security agencies to come up with proposals on how to improve their service delivery.

“It was on this note,” offered a security source, “that the President approved the DG’s recommendation, which many serving and retired officers are confident would boost career progression in the Service.”

President Tinubu had, at the investiture ceremony of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 graduates last December, promised to support the DSS and other security agencies with Artificial Intelligence-powered state-of-the-art equipment to combat insecurity across the country.

Speaking through the NSA, the President stated that he was not oblivious to the security challenges in contemporary times and charged all security agencies to synergise for the common good of Nigerians.

The DSS Director-General, Mr Oluwastosin Ajayi, had, on the assumption of office in late August 2024, promised sweeping reforms in the organization, which he assured would transform the DSS into one of the most efficient covert security agencies in the world.