President Bola Tinubu has conferred Fellowship of Security Institute (FSI) on 91 graduates of Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 (EIMC-17) at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), an educational arm of the Department of State Services (DSS), after they completed a ten-month Artificial Intelligence-themed Inter-Agency Security Intelligence Training.
The DSS said the occasion at NISS was an unprecedented demonstration of inter-agency collaboration and security and intelligence training, featuring participants from African nations, including Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Chad, Rwanda, and Ghana.
Speaking at the event, the president, who was represented by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acknowledged the exemplary and astute leadership of the new director general of the state service (DGSS), Mr. Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi and commended the auspicious ceremony, noting that the landmark event will certainly remain indelible in the annals of the agency.
While also appreciating Mr Ajayi’s dexterity and wide reach, President Bola Tinubu expressed admiration for the recent remarkable achievements of the DGSS, the National Institute, and Service.
In his welcome address, Ajayi expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for appointing him helmsman of the elite organisation and honouring the Service.
He highlighted the evolution of NISS, tracing its origin from Abuja Training School (ATS), established by the DSS in 1999, which later became the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in 2008, dedicated to training senior officers in advanced security and intelligence policy-making, at the end of which qualified participants to be conferred with Fellow of Security Institute (FSI); a criterion for advancement into management cadre.
He explained that the Institute was elevated to its current status by the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) Bill signed into Law in June 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari
He said this elevation placed NISS at par with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and the National Defence College (NDC) while maintaining its strong coordination with the DSS.
Chairman of the occasion, and former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, lauded the solidarity and presence of former DGs of the Service, noting that the unison will be instrumental to the overall success of NISS and DSS at large.
The six former DGs of the foremost intelligence agency who graced the occasion in support of the new DG’s mettle of walking in the footprints of his forbearers were Peter C. Nwaoduah (1992-1999), Rtd Col. L.K.K. Are (1999-2007), A. A Gadzama (2007-2010), Ekpenyong Ita (2010-2015), M.B Seiyefa (2018) and the immediate past DG, Yusuf Bichi (2018-2024).
In a vote of thanks on behalf of the retired DGs, Rtd. Col Are eulogised the tremendous transformations in the national institute since its establishment and thanked the current management for sustaining the dream of the national institute’s founders.
He encouraged the DGSS, service chiefs, and graduates to forge ahead in ensuring the protection of Nigeria’s national security and called for government support to achieve the national institute’s goal of deepening research in security and intelligence management.
The occasion was rounded off with a goodwill video from another former DG, A K Horsfall, who equally congratulated the Course 17 graduates and announced his support for the formation of the Forum of Retired DGs’ at the instance of the new DGSS.
He posited that this novel initiative will provide a pool of rich knowledge, experience, and ideas from intelligence veterans for the benefit of current and future DSS leaders and enhance the smooth transition of successive administrations in the service.
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