Controversy brewing over moves to reverse recent postings at DSS

Controversy is brewing at the Department of Security Services (DSS) following alleged directive from the presidency asking the acting Director General (DG) Matthew Seiyefa to reverse recent changes he made at the agency.

Daily Trust learnt that following the sack of Lawal Daura as the DG, Seiyefa immediately commenced re-organizing the agency by constituting a committee comprising directors and management staff to reform the agency
The committee is reportedly chaired by the Director Administration who is from Katsina State.

The committee discovered that there are 49 vacancies at the directorate level across the states and top management positions at the headquarters, which the sacked DG did not fill, even though there are qualified people in the service for the vacant positions.
“Not filling those vacancies have resulted in stagnation, discontent and low morale among staff,” one of the sources said.

The committee was said to have recommended the disengagement of all those who have reached retirement age or have already put in 35 years in Service.

Seiyefa also embarked on some few appointments which included retaining the director of finance, the deputy director administration and appointment of another director from Kano into top management position.

Also, the committee discovered that there were three top management staff from the South-South at the Headquarters, but none from the South West.

Seifeya also re-deployed another director to the headquarters so that the South West would have representation.

However, the acting DSS boss was summoned by a top official in the villa and asked to reverse all the new postings he made.

But sources told Daily Trust that Seiyefa has vowed never to allow interference in the running of the agency.

It was learnt that a director in the agency has started calling those affected on phone asking them to go back to their former postings, but the officers have refused to obey the order, describing it as illegal.

Attempts yesterday to contact the newly appointed spokesman of the agency, Nnochirionye Afunanya for position of the agency were unsuccessful.