The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi, has directed operatives not to arrest people over civil disputes.
Ajayi said Thursday that the directive was part of reforms introduced since he became DSS chief to strengthen the rule of law and improve the agency’s human rights record.
The reforms cover five areas, including law enforcement, cooperation with other agencies, accountability, respect for human rights, and administrative improvements.
Ajayi said the DSS had previously sometimes failed to clearly separate civil disputes from criminal matters.
“You cannot apply the use of force in civil matters.
"Even some criminal matters don’t require force,” he said.
He added, “I have told my people that there should be no arrest in any civil case.”
According to Ajayi, the agency will instead use the courts when disputes are civil in nature.
He cited cases involving political economist Pat Utomi and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project as examples.
In Utomi’s case, the DSS sought a court ruling instead of arresting him over allegations linked to an attempt to establish a “shadow government.”
“Rather than arrest him, we sought judicial interpretation,” Ajayi said.
He added that the court ruled that the plan was unconstitutional, illegal and a threat to national security.
Ajayi also said the DSS allowed a dispute involving SERAP to proceed in court.
He said the court later awarded more than 100 million naira in the case.
The directive comes as the DSS marks 40 years of service and amid renewed attention to the agency’s treatment of suspects and its human rights record.
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