The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has sparks reaction as he called for a policy mandating the recruitment of first-class graduates into the intelligence agency to strengthen national security.
Ajayi, who was represented by the DSS Deputy Director, Mr. Patrick Ikenweiwe while delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in recruitment and staffing within security agencies to ensure only the best minds are enlisted.
He argued that recruiting top academic performers into the DSS should be a compulsory national policy, similar to Israel’s selective university admission system.
The DSS DG stressed the need for a shift in public perception, noting that many Nigerians view security agencies as adversaries rather than allies.
He warned that such attitudes negatively impact intelligence gathering, peacebuilding, and national integration.
“Like I know, in Israel, there is one examination that students take to get admitted into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.”
The DSS DG stressed the need for a shift in public perception, noting that many Nigerians view security agencies as adversaries rather than allies.
He warned that such attitudes negatively impact intelligence gathering, peacebuilding, and national integration.
“Like I know, in Israel, there is one examination that students take to get admitted into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.”
He contended that intelligence work requires exceptional intellect to tackle sophisticated criminal networks.
“Tell me how would a ‘Dundee’ (dullard) be able to keep security in a criminal gang that is constituted of First Class people? You know, it takes intellect to track criminality.”
“So, if I have my way in this country, and we keep praying that we do the right thing, the academia should be able to supply us, sincerely, the details of students who have excelled in their various fields of study so that they would be forced to serve this great nation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the situation has sparked mixed reactions among Nigerians, with many questioning whether academic excellence alone is enough to ensure competence in high-pressure security roles.
Godwin Oko, a Facebook user said; ‘The rot in the system is not about the grades of results. It’s about morality and integrity. In Nigeria of today, some of the first class degree holders cannot even defend those certificates. Inculcate discipline, as it used to be, into the institutions, punishing offenders for consequences of actions or inactions and you will see uprightness become a norm. Take one thousand first class graduates and train them in our present institutions, as constituted, you won’t get no result positively, in these dysfunctions. like it’s said, it’s garbage in, garbage out.”
Another user, Ugochukwu Ezea wrote; “Will that make them to be more professional? No! Will that make their operations devoid of influence by the corrupt political elites? The DG should lay emphasis on character and not paper certificate.”
@OlanijiOluta, on X said; “First class doesn’t depict smartness. Also, why should it be forced? It should be voluntary to join any governmental body.”
Kiiingsley reacted; “So a first class graduate in Mechanical/civil/electrical Engineering should be forcefully made to work with the EFCC? Una no just get sense.”
A security analyst Dr. Abdulrahman Yusuf, in his reaction disagrees with this approach, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, field experience, and emotional intelligence in intelligence work.
“Recruiting based purely on academic grades is not the best way to build an effective security force. Intelligence gathering requires a combination of analytical skills, psychological resilience, and street-level awareness,” he said.
Similarly, education consultant Prof. Mojisola Alade questioned whether academic excellence alone guarantees the competence needed in high-pressure security roles.
“A first-class degree does not necessarily translate to high intelligence in real-world scenarios. Many top operatives in global intelligence agencies did not have the highest academic scores, but they possessed skills such as intuition, adaptability, and quick decision-making,” she noted.
Beyond the debate on recruitment criteria, some analysts believe the DSS should focus on structural reforms rather than selective academic qualifications. Security expert and retired military officer Col. Benjamin Akinlade (rtd.) suggested that improving training, technology, and inter-agency collaboration would have a greater impact.
“What we need is a more sophisticated intelligence network that integrates modern technology and community-based intelligence. Relying solely on academic excellence is not the solution,” he argued.
