The Department of State Services (DSS) announced on Tuesday that it has dismissed 115 personnel as part of a sweeping internal reform aimed at strengthening discipline and integrity within the agency. 
In a statement issued concurrent with the announcement, the agency said the affected officers were removed following a series of internal reviews and investigations into misconduct and corruption. The dismissals, it noted, were not the result of a single event but had been carried out “over a period of time” as part of ongoing efforts to rid the service of personnel who fall short of professional standards.
The DSS also issued a public warning, alerting citizens to the possibility that some of the dismissed persons continue to pose as serving security operatives. It specifically named two individuals — Barry Donald and Victor Onyedikachi Godwin — whom the agency said had been publicly disowned and remain a risk to unsuspecting members of the public.
To ensure transparency, the service published the names of the dismissed officers on its official website and provided a hotline for verification and complaints.
The scale of the purge signals a heightened focus by the DSS on internal governance at a time when Nigeria’s security agencies face mounting scrutiny over accountability.
However, some observers raise questions about the process and criteria for dismissal, calling for clarity on whether the individuals were afforded due process and whether the agency will publish the specific nature of the misconduct findings.
