When Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi was appointed Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) in August 2024, many in Nigeria's intelligence and political circles anticipated fresh energy in the fight against insecurity. But six months into the job, Ajayi is stirring the hornet’s nest—not with action, but with an eyebrow-raising philosophy.
In February 2025, during a high-profile security summit in Abuja attended by key figures like National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, Ajayi floated a bold idea: Nigerian communities, not national security agencies, should serve as the first line of defense in addressing the country’s worsening security problems.
“It’s Not Going to Work,” Says Ajayi—But Who Should Fix It?
Ajayi’s candid statement—“You do not expect the Nigerian Army, Police, and SSS to protect every Nigerian… It is not going to work”—might have sounded pragmatic to some. But to many, it rang like a white flag.
The constitution, however, says otherwise. It clearly states that the security and welfare of the people are the primary responsibilities of government—not optional extras, not shared duties. So when the head of one of Nigeria’s top intelligence agencies suggests outsourcing that duty to everyday citizens, it raises serious questions.
Ajayi pointed to scattered examples of local communities fending off attacks as inspiration for his new approach. But in practice, these communities often defend themselves with nothing more than farming tools and hope—sticks and cutlasses versus AK-47s.
Let’s not romanticize it: rural defense efforts in Nigeria are born of desperation, not strategy. Citizens are left to protect their families with no support, while kidnappers, insurgents, and bandits roam freely, often with better equipment than the average soldier.
The Government’s Broken Promises: From 2015 to Now
This conversation isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s important to rewind to 2015, when the All Progressives Congress (APC) rode into power on the promise of ending insecurity. Muhammadu Buhari, a former general, vowed to crush terrorism and restore peace. Now, under President Bola Tinubu, the APC has spent a decade in power—and yet, Nigeria’s insecurity has only worsened.
The APC's original manifesto promised:
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Recruiting 100,000 additional police officers
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Forming a specialized anti-terror task force
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Raising pay and standards for the military and security services
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Tackling poverty, unemployment, and inequality in conflict zones
Instead, what have Nigerians received? Broken infrastructure, record-high inflation, a tumbling naira, and an exodus of companies and talent to neighboring countries like Ghana, Cameroon, and Niger.
In the midst of rising kidnappings and terror attacks, President Tinubu has faced backlash for his frequent overseas travels, including personal visits to France while crises erupt at home. His administration’s silence on key issues and apparent lack of urgency only fuel public frustration.
As the country bleeds, its leaders are jetting across continents, while citizens are told to “do their part” in national defense.
It’s difficult to square Ajayi’s message with the resources at his disposal. The DSS is a federally empowered agency with reach in all 36 states and 774 local government areas. So why, despite flying over 15,000 hours of Air Force missions in 18 months, do terrorists still operate with impunity?
If herdsmen and bandits can navigate rural Nigeria armed with GPS and military-grade weapons, why can’t the DSS track them down?
Ajayi’s call for communities to “come to us for guidance and approval” seems tone-deaf at best. What does that even mean for villagers in remote parts of the country? Should they book train tickets to Abuja to get clearance to defend themselves with broomsticks?
Nigeria is not lacking in citizens willing to protect their communities. What it lacks is a sincere, competent leadership that prioritizes public safety over political comfort.
Security cannot be crowdsourced. The statutory duty to protect lives and property rests squarely with the government—specifically, with agencies like the DSS. Until those in power face the music, no amount of philosophical spin or “community empowerment” can fix what’s broken.
As Nigeria continues to battle rising insecurity, citizens need more than motivational speeches and vague proposals. They need action—backed by intelligence, funding, and political will.
Until then, asking starving citizens to do the job of well-armed, well-funded agencies isn’t just unrealistic. It’s an abdication of duty.