The Department of State Services (DSS) has made public the names of 115 former personnel who were dismissed from the Service and has cautioned Nigerians to be careful when dealing with anyone claiming to be an operative.
The warning was issued in a statement posted on the organisation’s website on Tuesday, as part of efforts to clean up the Service and protect members of the public from people using the DSS name to deceive or defraud others.
“As part of the ongoing reforms in the Department of State Services (DSS), the public is hereby informed that a total of 115 personnel have been dismissed over a period,” the Service said.
According to the DSS, some of the affected individuals have continued to parade themselves as serving operatives, forcing the Service to publicly list their names to prevent unsuspecting Nigerians from falling victim to impersonation.
“In addition to earlier disclaimers on the duo of Barry Donald and Victor Onyedikachi Godwin, the Service finds it necessary to warn citizens of the fraudulent activities of some of these persons still posing as DSS personnel,” the statement added.
The DSS appealed to Nigerians, government agencies, private organisations, and community leaders to verify the identity of anyone presenting themselves as a representative of the Service before engaging them in any official capacity.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to desist from any official dealings with these individuals who have been dismissed by the Service,” it cautioned.
To ensure transparency, the full list of the dismissed personnel has been published on the DSS website for everyone to see and confirm when needed.
This move forms part of a wider reform initiative aimed at strengthening discipline within the Service, promoting accountability, and restoring public trust by curbing the activities of impostors who exploit the DSS name.
The Service reassured Nigerians of its commitment to professionalism and encouraged members of the public to report any suspicious individual claiming to be a DSS operative through official channels.
