Terrorism Thrives On Publicity, Ungoverned Spaces, Ethnic Politics — DSS DG

The director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has warned that terrorism and insurgency pose dangers beyond the immediate loss of lives, stressing that violent extremist groups exploit publicity, weak governance, ethnic divisions and ungoverned spaces to expand their influence.

Ajayi, who spoke in an exclusive interview with senior editors to mark his second year in office and the 40th anniversary of the DSS, said Nigeria must confront terrorism as a national threat rather than allowing it to be reduced to ethnic, religious or political narratives.

According to him, terrorists thrive when their activities are given publicity, arguing that the success of one criminal or terrorist group can encourage others to replicate its methods.

He urged the media and citizens to avoid becoming unwitting platforms for terrorists, saying the country must collectively reject the glorification of violent groups.

“The turning point will be when we agree to face our common enemies, criminalise them, demonise them,” Ajayi said.

He added that the media had a responsibility to report security issues accurately without amplifying the successes of terrorists and other criminal elements.

The DSS boss said terrorism also thrives in areas where government presence is weak, leaving communities vulnerable to criminal groups that exploit difficult terrain and the absence of effective local security structures.

He cited the country’s proximity to the Sahel, the difficult terrain around the Lake Chad region and the creeks of the Niger Delta as examples of environments that present serious operational challenges to conventional security forces.

Ajayi argued that such challenges required strategic solutions, including stronger community-based security arrangements, State Police and properly regulated Forest Guards.

He said the disappearance of effective governance from remote communities had created spaces where criminal and terrorist groups could operate, hide victims and build networks with limited resistance.

“What has changed is the loss of our values,” he said, recalling a period when governance structures extended more deeply into rural communities.

He noted that the breakdown of social values and institutions had also contributed to the wider deterioration of security, adding that Nigeria needed “attitudinal change and a total rebirth.”

Ajayi equally warned against the ethnicisation of criminality, insisting that criminals should be treated as criminals irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

He rejected narratives portraying insecurity as the agenda of one ethnic group, noting that DSS investigations had uncovered terrorists and criminals from different ethnic backgrounds.

According to him, insurgency and terrorism can be driven by several factors, including religion, ethnicity, economic interests and politics.

The DSS boss said the politicisation of insecurity could make the situation worse by allowing politicians and other interests to exploit criminality for selfish objectives.

“Politics has not ruined Nigeria, it is only bad politicians in pursuit of their ambitions, who threaten the stability of Nigeria,” he said.

Ajayi also identified the proliferation of sophisticated weapons as another major danger confronting the country.

He disclosed that the DSS had recovered 676 sophisticated firearms and 332,874 rounds of ammunition of different calibres between May 29, 2023 and August 2026, while noting that other security agencies had also made significant recoveries.

He said the government must strengthen law enforcement and ensure that those responsible for terrorism and violent crimes face appropriate punishment.

The DSS chief disclosed that the Service had secured seven death sentences in terrorism-related cases, including four in the Owo case and one each in Kogi, Katsina and Sokoto, in addition to convictions attracting prison terms ranging from 20 to 40 years.

He said the Service was focusing more on convictions than mere arraignment, stressing that successful prosecution depended on quality investigations, evidence gathering and diligent presentation of facts before the courts.

Ajayi also pointed to the human cost of terrorism, particularly the trauma suffered by families whose relatives are kidnapped or killed.

He acknowledged that security agencies could not prevent every attack, but said the ultimate objective must remain the reduction of crime and terrorism to the barest minimum.

“Somebody whose child was kidnapped doesn’t care if you prevented 200 attacks. For that person, you haven’t achieved anything,” he said.

He said the statement underscored the need for security agencies to continually improve their intelligence gathering, response capabilities and cooperation with other agencies.

According to him, intelligence remains crucial to preventing attacks, rescuing victims, identifying perpetrators and disrupting terrorist networks, although operational challenges, terrain and strategic decision-making can sometimes affect the outcome.

He cited the recent rescue operation in Oriire, Oyo State, where security forces pursued a kidnap group after receiving credible intelligence, resulting in the death of security personnel and civilians during the operation.

Ajayi said the group involved was an international terrorist organisation with links to Al-Qaeda, adding that some of its leaders had previously been arrested by the DSS and were linked to the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

He said the group had allegedly planned further mass kidnappings involving foreigners, students, women and children in an attempt to force government recognition and secure freedom to practise its ideology.

The DSS boss said the case demonstrated why terrorism should not be viewed simply as ordinary criminality, warning that some kidnapping networks had evolved into organised terrorist structures capable of threatening national stability.

He also stressed the importance of cooperation among security agencies, saying no single organisation could defeat terrorism alone.

According to him, the successful operation in Oyo State involved the DSS, Nigerian Army, Police, Navy, Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local vigilantes.

Ajayi said international cooperation with intelligence partners, including those in the United States, United Kingdom, France and other European countries, had also strengthened Nigeria’s ability to confront transnational threats.

He, however, maintained that the most important weapon in the long-term fight against terrorism remained public cooperation.

The DSS director-general called on Nigerians to provide credible information to security agencies, reject criminality in their communities and resist attempts to divide the country along ethnic, religious or political lines.

He said the country could only defeat terrorism when citizens and security agencies worked together to deny criminals the space, resources and public support needed to operate.

Ajayi further urged Nigerians to unite against terrorism, stressing that terrorists should not be allowed to exploit the country’s divisions or use the media to project their activities as victories.

He said the DSS would continue to strengthen its fight against terrorism and violent crime while deepening cooperation with citizens and other security agencies.

“Nigerians are in a hurry to celebrate peace,” he quoted President Bola Tinubu as saying, adding that the warning should reinforce the need for sustained efforts until communities across the country are safe.