By RismadarVoice Media
December 21, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr Oluwatosin Ajayi, on his recognition as a champion of press freedom by the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI).
Ajayi received a commendation award at the IPI’s Annual Conference held on December 2, 2025, in Abuja – in recognition of his leadership style, commitment towards fostering a more constructive relationship between the DSS and the media.
According to the IPI, since his appointment as Director-General of the DSS in late August 2024, Ajayi has demonstrated “an unmistakable commitment to press freedom and respect for journalists and media organizations.”
The organization noted that the award was not only to acknowledge his positive press freedom record, also to encourage him to doing more, inspire other public officials, institutions and organizations to emulate his example.
In a congratulatory message issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, dated December 21, 2025, President Tinubu welcomed the recognition, commending the DSS boss for upholding press freedom, respecting citizens’ rights, carrying out his responsibilities within the confines of the law.
The President said the DSS under Ajayi’s leadership is gradually changing the narrative of hostility towards journalists, replacing it with dialogue, engagement and mutual respect – between security agencies and the civil populace.
Tinubu urged other security agencies, public officials to follow the DSS example by engaging the media as partners in nation-building rather than adversaries.
He also encouraged the DSS to sustain the momentum, continue creating an enabling environment for journalists and media practitioners to carr
y out their constitutional responsibility of holding public officials accountable without fear.
