3 months after redeployment order,Tinubu’s CSO refuses to budge; remains in office 

Tinubu’s CSO Fasasi

Three months after an official memo regarding his redeployment from the State House, Chief Security Officer (CSO) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adegboyega Fasasi, remains in his position, according to reports.

Tinubu’s CSO Fasasi2

Fasasi’s defiance of a posting directive from the Department of State Security Service (DSS) has raised concerns about adherence to service rules, security protocols, and overall discipline within Nigeria’s critical intelligence framework.

Recall that in October of last year, DSS Director General Tosin Ajayi ordered Fasasi’s redeployment to attend an executive management course—a mandatory requirement for officers of his rank. This redeployment is part of a standard procedure designed to enhance the service’s versatility, professionalism, and discipline towards maintaining operational effectiveness.

Ajayi’s decision to replace Fasasi with Rasheed Atanda Lawal, another director was reportedly influenced, in part, by Fasasi’s failure to attend the executive management courses required for Deputy Directors and Directors. It was gathered that having spent over seven years stationed at the State House in Abuja, Fasasi was due for this mandatory training.

However, Fasasi has retained his position as the President’s CSO, reportedly backed by influential government officials and politicians to “resist the directive”, according to an intelligence operative who spoke with newsmen. “President Tinubu is apparently facing pressure from these powerful figures to keep Fasasi in his role, complicating the resolution of this issue”, the operative revealed.

DSS logo

Concerns have also been voiced by other DSS personnel, who expressed that Fasasi’s refusal to comply with the redeployment order is “unusual and ambiguous”, warning that such actions could undermine institutional discipline and erode respect for constitutional authority.

Fasasi has also been accused of retaining close associates to work with him at the Presidential Villa.

Meanwhile, another security source indicated to newsmen that personal and security aides within the Presidential Villa operate at the President’s discretion.  Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source noted that Fasasi plays a crucial role in ensuring the President’s safety, acting as a key point of access to him. His actions have reportedly earned him the trust of both the President’s immediate family and other principal officials within the Villa.

The source further revealed that the executive training programme Fasasi is expected to attend is set to commence in February 2025.

Meanwhile, security experts have noted that the standoff underscores the intricate balance between professional protocol and political influence in Nigeria’s security operations. The eventual resolution – or lack thereof – will likely set a significant precedent for managing similar issues in the future.

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