The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency not to arrest anyone over civil matters.
Ajayi said the directive was part of reforms introduced since he assumed office to strengthen adherence to the rule of law and improve the DSS’s human rights record.
According to The Sun, the DSS boss disclosed this in a media interview on Thursday, saying his reforms focused on five broad areas: law enforcement, inter-agency synergy, accountability, respect for human rights, and infrastructural and administrative reforms.
He stated that the reforms have also created a clearer distinction between civil and criminal matters within the agency.
Ajayi said his career experience showed that the DSS had previously conflated the two areas, 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”, saying the DSS chose to seek judicial interpretation rather than arrest 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,” Ajayi said.
He also referred to a case involving the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, which approached the court over allegations that two DSS operatives invaded its premises.
Ajayi said the agency pursued the matter through the courts without making any arrest, adding that the court eventually awarded more than N100 million in favour of SERAP.
Asked whether the DSS now resorts to the courts in civil matters, Ajayi said yes, reiterating his directive to operatives.
“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.
“I call you guys our professional colleagues. The only difference is that, while you inform the public, we inform the government. And because we inform the government, our information is classified until we declassify it.”
