The newly appointed director general of the State Security Service, SSS, Adeola Ajayi, has embarked on major reforms to strengthen the integrity, professionalism and boost the morale of the personnel, DAILY NIGERIAN has gathered.
Inside sources told DAILY NIGERIAN that some of the reforms introduced by Mr Ajayi since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu less than a month ago included the implementation of 25 percent salary increment for public service approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The source said the former director general of the service, Yusuf Bichi, failed to implement the increment despite presidential approval.
According to the source, Mr Ajayi had so far approved payment of arrears of the increment from January to August 2024.
Also, the new SSS boss has ordered some senior officials who were posted to the government and other “juicy beats” to return to their various commands and formations.
It was gathered that under previous leadership, personnel were posted out of command indiscriminately to serve politicians without recourse to the prestige and core mandate of the service.
According to the new directives, the highest rank to be posted to government houses, are Security Intelligence Officers I (SIOs I), while ministers are Security Intelligence Officers (SIOs II).
Others are SSIO for Senate President; SIO I for Speaker of the House of Representatives, SOs for other MDAs and Deputy Director Internal Security, DDIS, for Presidential Villa.
“The DGSS has approved the redeployment of all ADIS, CSIOs, and PSIO in government houses back to command. This is what we are talking about, we should respect our ranks,” the source noted.
Another source within the secret police said Mr Ajayi has appointed well trained officers to take charge of the state commands and other strategic formations.
The source added that the reforms have boosted the morale of the personnel.
“Officers that were finding it difficult to go to work, now go to work, and assume duty on time. Officers are happy that professionalism is being felt, officers are moving round to gather intelligence better than ever before,” the source revealed.
