DSS Boss Adeola Ajayi Receives Distinguished NUJ Recognition for Bridging Press-Security Relations

The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi, has been honored with a prestigious award by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). The award recognizes his strategic institutional reforms and his commitment to fostering a healthier, collaborative relationship between the secret service and members of the press.

The honor was conferred during a high-level national media and security summit organized in collaboration with the DSS under the theme, “Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building.”

The recognition marks a distinct shift in the historic operational relationship between Nigeria's primary domestic intelligence agency and the fourth estate:

• Praise for Leadership: The National President of the NUJ, Mr. Alhassan Yahya, highly praised the DSS leadership under Adeola Ajayi, emphasizing that the secret service has demonstrated an uncharacteristic openness and accessibility since his assumption of office. Yahya noted that this approach has significantly bridged the communication gap between investigative journalists and intelligence operators.
• National Security Alignment: The national media summit brought together top security chiefs, including representatives of the Inspector General of Police, alongside media executives. A major focal point of the discourse centered on balancing press freedom with national stability, with federal officials urging media houses to handle sensitive counter-terrorism reportage with high patriotic discretion.
• The Shared Mandate: In his response to the honor, the DSS boss reaffirmed that security and free press are not mutually exclusive but are symbiotic pillars necessary for sustaining democratic structures. He pledged that the DSS would continue to protect public interest while maintaining an open-door policy for verifiable information management.

The event concluded with commitments from both the union and joint security commands to establish regular dialogue tables, ensuring that operational friction is minimized while safeguarding the public’s right to accurate information.