Why New DSS DG Must Address Viral Video – Ex-Director

A former director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has blamed mischief makers for posting a video that went viral after the appointment of Adeola Ajayi as the new Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ejiofor, who was a guest on a television programme on Wednesday, said the new director general of the secret police should probe the viral content.

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu replaced Yusuf Bichi, with the appointment of Ajayi, who was until his new role, the Assistant Director-General of the Service.

The President also appointed Mohammed Mohammed to replace Ahmed Rufai as the new Director General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Tinubu had retained Bichi and Rufai in June 2023 when he fired all service chiefs and heads of security agencies. Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Bichi and Rufai to head the two intelligence agencies in 2018.

Shortly after the new appointments of Mohammed and Ajayi, social media was flooded with video clips of supposed DSS personnel jubilating at the headquarters of the secret police in Abuja.

In his comments on the viral video, Ejiofor said, “Some of those videos are old videos, as far back as 2018, not new videos. Mischief makers, you know, if you look at the social media and how they go about it.

“But granted without conceding that it’s a new thing (video) when you have new appointments or elections are over, people are bound to jubilate; some people will say our man is coming in.

“So, it is a natural thing but I think it is just the work of mischief makers because the SSS is a professional body. Anybody who must have put up those things whether it is old or new is just out to cause mischief and I think also that the DG will address that.”

Ejiofor also commended the new DSS boss whom he said has “a lot of expectations awaiting him as he takes over. I wish him well in his new appointment”.

The ex-director said Ajayi, whose appointment by the President is “strategic” is well-experienced.

“He’s handled complex and difficult states. If you look at Rivers State, for instance, he (Ajayi) was able to manage the dramatis personae in the stormy political terrain of Rivers State,” he said.

“I expect that he will be able to bring this to bear at the national front; reconciling people, bringing staff (members) together, and uniting Nigerians.”