The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, has emphasized the need for communities to take charge of their security by allowing them some level of armament to defend themselves against invaders. Ajayi made this statement at the alumni association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) annual maiden lecture in Abuja.
Citing the success story of the 'Siawas' and 'Azare' people in Bauchi State, who were able to repel invaders and seize their weapons, Ajayi stressed that communities must be involved in their own security. "You do not expect the Nigerian army, police, DSS, to protect every Nigerian or every government. It is not going to work," he said.
Ajayi advocated for creating layers of defense to reduce the burden on national security architecture, allowing the military, police, and other security agencies to focus on bigger threats and organized crimes. He emphasized that security agencies cannot deploy to every community, and it is imperative to make communities the first line of defense.
The DSS DG also highlighted Nigeria's communal culture, where people come together to celebrate festivals and ceremonies. "Why can't we fight miscreants together?" he asked, emphasizing the need for communities to rise and defend themselves.
In a related lecture, Major General Garba Wahab (rtd), Director General of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluating government policies. He lamented the country's lip service to security education and entertainment, and how the elites have weaponized security and poverty, leading to a loss of values. Wahab charged the government to win the confidence of neglected border communities.
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