The Department of the State Security Services (DSS) has said that a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, was not in a position to understand the security operations in the face of current insecurity challenges facing the country.
Reacting to Chidoka’s statements when he appeared on a programme on Channels TV, the spokesperson of the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, said Chidoka, who was a one-time Minister of Aviation, did not receive security briefings and, therefore, not in a position to understand the workings of the security agencies.
Part of Afunanya’s statement reads: “Chidoka spoke as a politician and my service, the DSS does not join issues with politicians.
“Intelligence activities are based on need- to-know; need-to-hold and need-to-access principles. For today, Chidoka is not on any of the platforms to appreciate the workings of intelligence community or the DSS in particular. He has no history of core intelligence practice, competence and experience.”
Speaking further on some of the allegations made by Chidoka such as the lack of inter-agency collaboration, DSS not giving enough intelligence to forestall terrorist and banditsattacks, among others, the DSS spokesperson said: “he exhibited lack of knowledge or complete ignorance in aspects of his analysis especially as it concerns the DSS.
“In any case, the Federal Road Safety Corps has arguably continue to enjoy a robust relationship with the DSS based on interagency collaboration.”
Chidoka had alleged that Nigeria’s intelligence agencies recruit unintelligent people to work in intelligence agencies.
He particularly challenged the DSS to publish the names of first-class graduates, in French and other relevant courses, recruited in the Service.