The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed December 7 for ruling on the trial within trial of persons accused of planning to violently overthrow President Bola Tinubu. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed the date after counsel for the prosecution, Maryam Okorie, and lawyers to the defendants, adopted their...
DSS
The Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), has denied allegations that it owns or operates a militia group or collaborates with the Department of State Services (DSS), or any other security agency to attack Fulani communities in Plateau State. The association described the allegation as false, alleging that it was part...
The Federal Highway Court sitting in Abuja on Monday fixed October 2, 2026, for the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, to continue with his defence in the alleged cyber-bullying case brought against the politician by the Department of State Services (DSS). There were social media reports last month that the DSS could upon the resumption of the courts from vacation, seek a long adjournment to enable Sowore concentrate on his presidential campaign. Sowore had in August 2025, published posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook describing President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accusing him of lying about corruption levels. After spurning several appeals from the DSS to delete the posts, the secret police headed to court to seek interpretation on the legal basis for calling a President “criminal.” In the course of the case, Sowore and his legal team recorded a string of judicial setbacks. First, the court dismissed his fundamental rights suit, ordering him to pay a ₦1.5 million penalty. In addition, when Sowore made a no case submission, the court rejected it, asking him to enter his defence. Lastly, when he alleged bias against the trial judge, the Chief Judge dismissed Sowore’s petition, and asked the trial judge to go ahead with the trial. At the resumed hearing on Monday day, Sowore’s lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), told the court that he read reports in the media that the DSS would be applying for a long adjournment to enable his client focus on his presidential campaign. Responding, however, counsel to the DSS, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, expressed surprise that Fusika would rely on social media reports on such a serious matter before the court. The senior lawyer told counsel to Sowore that instructions from his clients are confidential and, therefore, couldn’t’ have relied on social media reports, as submitted by Sowore’s counsel. Kehinde, SAN, told the court that he was ready for the continuation of their defence, a move which seemed to catch Fusika off guard. At this point, Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, adjourned to 2nd October, 2026, for continuation of defence.
There are institutions whose work is so closely intertwined with national security. that much of what they do must necessarily remain outside the public gaze. The Department of State Services (DSS) is one such institution. Its successes are often classified, its operations cannot always be publicly explained, and its...
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reserved ruling on a no case submission by a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El’Rufai, on a charge of alleged wiretapping brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS). The DSS filed an amended five-count charge against el-Rufai...
Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, has lauded the Nigerian military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and vigilantes.for stopping scores of bandits from attacking and mass-kidnapping residents of Gidan Iyado, Kakumi Ward, Bakori Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. A statement by the State Commissioner for Internal...
The death of 37 suspected illegal miners, mainly youths in the detention facility of Nigeria’s Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the northern state of Niger, has elicited widespread condemnation and public outrage, with the NGO Centre for Community Law, Amnesty International, Nigeria, and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) among organisations calling...
Fresh violence has erupted on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State, leaving scores of people dead, destroying homes, farmlands and livestock, while hundreds of residents, mostly women, children and the elderly, have fled across the border to neighbouring Cameroon for safety. The latest clashes, involving members of the Mambila...
A witness for the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how 49 students and teachers abducted from schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State were subjected to what she described as a “dehumanising” ordeal during 56 days in captivity....
The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has convicted and sentenced nine out of 19 persons arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for crude oil theft in Akwa Ibom State. Delivering judgment on Monday, the presiding Judge, Justice Joy Ikpeme found the convicts guilty on two count-charge...
Department of State Services (DSS) has re-arraigned five men over the May 15, 2026 kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The suspects appeared before the Federal High Court on a seven-count amended charge filed by the Federal Government. The DSS alleged that...
Governor Hyacinth Alia has commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for the prompt and professional operation that led to the arrest of three suspects allegedly connected with the Thursday attack on Ayilamo community in Logo Local Government Area of the state. Governor Alia denounced the attack which led...
The decision by the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, to approach the Federal High Court over the possibility of suspending the prosecution of African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, until after the 2027 presidential election is one that deserves careful consideration—and,...
Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has expressed profound appreciation to the security agencies and groups involved in the successful rescue of the sixteen Corps Members abducted in Kogi State on 26 August 2026, while they were travelling from the Bayelsa State camp on relocation to Abuja...
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, for what it describes as an encouraging shift towards more professional, accountable and human rights-compliant intelligence operations. In a statement in Abuja, HURIWA welcomed “the reported review...
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the government of President Bola Tinubu and the Department of State Services (DSS) to “immediately withdraw all bogus charges against journalist and activist Omoyele Sowore and end the continuing harassment and intimidation of him over his peaceful exercise of his human...
The Department of State Services (DSS) has instructed its private counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, to take steps to seek adjournment in the case of alleged cyber-bullying it instituted against African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, until after the next presidential election slated for January 16, 2027. The...
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security and intelligence agencies to immediately commence a coordinated operation to rescue victims of the recent mass abduction in Niger State. The President, in a statement issued on...
Department of State Services, (DSS) and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) are investigating intelligence reports that certain top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are working with some foreign interests to undermine national security. A security source disclosed that the DSS and the NIA intercepted highly disturbing communication between the said NFF officials and some foreign nationals capable of causing security problems for Nigeria. Asked if the investigation was linked the N17bn intervention fund released for salaries and bonuses of players at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the source responded that it was beyond that, stressing that issues of financial impropriety are handled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Said the source, “It is true that President Bola Tinubu in 2024 approved N17 billion as a special intervention fund to help NFF clear outstanding payments owed to Nigeria’s national teams. However, that falls within the purview of the EFCC, not the DSS and NIA.” “The mandate of the DSS is on dealing with domestic threats to national security. The NIA deals with external threats. So, when you hear that the DSS and NIA are jointly investigating a matter, it has got to be very serious, especially when the persons involved are saddled with the responsibility of managing an important body like the NFF,” he stated. However, the NFF has recently come under the scrutiny of many football fans who regretted that football teams have suffered neglect over funding, resulting in Super Eagles missing consecutive FIFA World Cups, and the historic failure of the Super Falcons to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The Super Falcons lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) quarter-finals, which ended their title defense and missed automatic World Cup qualification, subsequently facing a playoff path involving South Africa. South Africa’s Banyana Banyana defeated Nigeria’s Super Falcons 2–1 in the Women’s World Cup qualification playoff. Nigeria has played in every single FIFA Women’s World Cup since the tournament began in 1991, making this the first time they failed to qualify. The executive committee of the NFF headed by Ibrahim Gusau is under intense pressure to resign following the spate of alleged hi failures and also following the resignation of more than half of its members. “That at least half of NFF executive have or are contemplating resignation, may not be unconnected with the fear of DSS and NIA probe, fuelling fears on the possibility of holding the NFF board election scheduled for September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State,” declared the insider.
Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a man allegedly posing as one of its operatives after he was found wearing the agency’s tactical uniform and carrying a fake pistol in Abuja. The suspect, identified as Moferewa Maiye, was apprehended late Wednesday following an intelligence-led operation by DSS officers....