The director general of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Ajayi, has removed Adegboyega Fasasi from his position as Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to reliable sources, Fasasi has been replaced by Rasheed Atanda Lawal, a deputy director who is currently doing a fellowship at the National Institute for Security Studies.
President Tinubu agreed to Fasasi’s removal after the DSS Director-General asked for him to go on a “strategic course.” This decision follows a usual practice where the DSS changes the president’s CSO when a new Director-General starts.
Lawal’s new position is seen as fixing the previous administration’s favouritism, which held up his promotion to director in July 2023. Fasasi’s removal might also be connected to claims of being too strict and causing problems with key figures close to the president.
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) role is very important, and a new leader usually picks someone they trust and can work well with for this job.
