The Department of State Services (DSS) has sought the recruitment of intelligent graduates into its service, saying the work of crime-fighting takes intelligence.

DSS boss Oluwatosin Ajayi made this known during the presentation of a lecture at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday.

During the lecture titled, ‘The Roles of the DSS in Security, Peacekeeping and National Integration’, the secret police boss called for the strengthening of institutions like intelligence agencies, reorientation of roles and a rethink on recruitment and staffing.

Represented by the DSS Deputy Director, Patrick Ikenweiwe, said that if he has his way, the best graduates in the country should be forced to join the DSS and serve the nation to tackle security challenges.

“Like I know in Israel, they have one examination that students take to get admission into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.

“Tell me how would a ‘Dundee’ (dullard) be able to keep the security of a criminal gang that is constituted of first-class people? You know, it takes intellect to track criminality.

“So, if I have my way in this country, and we keep praying that we do the right thing, the academia should be able to supply us, sincerely, the details of students who have excelled in their various fields of study so that they would be forced to serve this great nation,” he said.

He also identified threats to national security, including sabotage, subversion, and espionage, among others.

He said, “In the last two decades, however, terrorism and insurgency have threatened internal security like never before in the nation’s history. Other threats of national security dimension extend to separatist agitations, militancy, oil bunkering, farmer-herder clashes, ethno-religious hostilities, economic and cyber crimes, political violence and sundry violent crimes, such as armed robbery and kidnapping.”