The Director-General of the State Security Service, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives of the agency not to arrest anyone over civil matters, insisting that such disputes should be resolved through dialogue or the courts.
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Ajayi disclosed this during a media interview published on Thursday, September 3, 2026, while outlining reforms introduced since he assumed leadership of the intelligence agency.
He said the reforms covered five broad areas: law enforcement, inter-agency cooperation, accountability, respect for human rights, and infrastructural and administrative changes aimed at improving operational efficiency.
According to him, the reforms have established a clearer distinction between civil disputes and criminal matters within the agency.
Ajayi said his experience in the Service showed that the two categories had previously been conflated, stressing that the use of force was inappropriate in civil disputes and unnecessary in some criminal cases.
“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, Professor Pat Utomi, over his attempt to establish a “shadow government,” explaining that the SSS sought judicial interpretation instead of arresting 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.
The SSS DG also referred to the defamation proceedings instituted by two operatives of the agency against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project over allegations that they invaded the organisation’s premises.
He said no arrest was made during the dispute, adding that the court eventually awarded more than ₦100 million in favour of the operatives. SERAP has appealed the judgment.
Asked whether the SSS now approaches the courts in civil matters, Ajayi replied: “Yes. I have told my people that there should be no arrest in any civil case.”
He said the agency would also prefer to seek judicial redress in disputes involving journalists, whom he described as the professional colleagues of intelligence officers.
“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,” he said.
Ajayi further stated that where a journalist publishes an inaccurate report concerning the agency, the initial response would be to demand a correction rather than order an arrest.
He maintained that disagreements could be resolved through dialogue or judicial interpretation, adding that the agency’s resources should be directed towards combating terrorists and other criminals rather than confronting journalists.
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