Soni Daniel, Abuja

The Department of State Services is to scale back on media operations but will step up covert operations in gathering intelligence and confronting national security, the new Director General of the agency, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, declared on Wednesday.

Ajayi, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu on August 26, 2024 and assumed office on August 28, 2024, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the security agency needs to concentrate on its core mandate of covert operations so as to strengthen national security than being seen and heard.

Ajayi promised to take steps to promote professionalism and excellence and making the service to respond appropriately to emerging security challenges in the nation.

Apparently in keeping with the new direction unveiled by the new DG DSS, the agency’s Director in charge of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Dr. Peter Afunanya, has been redeployed, although his new destination remains unknown as at the time of filing the report.

A successor has also not been named at this time.

However, Dr. Afunanya told journalists at the press briefing at the headquarters of the DSS on Wednesday that the agency was determined to keep Nigerians informed with accurate and relevant information whenever the need arises.

“What this means is that the DSS will continue to relate and engage with Nigerians through the media whenever the need arises. It does not mean that we want to operate in the dark or hide the truth from them,” Afunayna explained.

“We will continue to engage with the Nigerian people whenever the need arises. But we want to stick to our core mandate of covert operation to promote national security and safety of Nigerians,” the outgoing PRO said.