Nigeria's DSS DG bans arrests over civil matters

Oluwatosin Ajayi, the Director-General of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), has issued a directive prohibiting operatives from making arrests in civil matters. This move is part of a broader institutional reform strategy focused on five pillars: law enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, accountability, respect for human rights, and administrative improvements.

Ajayi emphasized that the agency is working to establish a clear distinction between civil disputes and criminal offenses, noting that the use of force is inappropriate for civil matters. He cited the case of political economist Prof. Pat Utomi, where the DSS sought judicial interpretation rather than an arrest, and a legal dispute with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that resulted in a court awarding over N100 million in damages to officials.

In addition to these legal reforms, Ajayi is transitioning the agency toward intelligence-led operations to combat terrorism and insurgency. He also addressed a recent rescue operation in Oyo State, where nine people—four civilians and five security personnel—were killed during an attempt to rescue kidnap victims. Ajayi warned against social media disinformation, specifically regarding deepfake videos used to misrepresent the incident.