The Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Tosin Ajayi, has removed Adegboyega Fasasi from his role as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The SSS, also referred to as the Department of State Services (DSS), made the decision over the weekend, according to sources.
According to Daily Nigerian, Fasasi has been replaced by Rasheed Atanda Lawal, a deputy director within the SSS. Lawal, currently attending a fellowship course at the National Institute for Security Studies, will assume the role of CSO. The source further revealed that President Tinubu approved the move following a request by the DSS Director-General, who justified the decision by stating that Fasasi needed to be sent on a “strategic course”—a frequently used reason to shuffle high-ranking officials close to the president.
Additionally, insiders mentioned that Rasheed Lawal was slated for promotion to Director in July 2023. However, his elevation was delayed due to the preferences of the previous management team, who reportedly did not favor him.
“It has become standard practice for a new Director-General to appoint a CSO he feels more comfortable working with. The CSO position is of utmost importance, and the DG needs someone in that role whom he can fully trust,” explained a source familiar with the situation.
This reshuffling is not unprecedented. In March 2019, then-President Muhammadu Buhari approved the removal of his Chief Security Officer, Bashir Abubakar, appointing Idris Ahmed in his place. Bashir’s removal was also attributed to a recommendation by the then-SSS Director General, Yusuf Bichi, who suggested that Bashir attend a “strategic course” in Buenos Aires, Argentina, leading to his replacement.
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