The President Bola Tinubu’s regime has been filled with numerous controversies with the removal of his Chief Security Officer (CSO), Adegboyega Fasasi being the latest.
This fresh drama started immediately after Tinubu landed in Nigeria on Saturday night upon his return from a two-weeks vacation abroad.
That was when Fasasi received his removal letter.
Details of his removal remained cloudy until now.
However, as we speak, more details on the reason behind the removal have emerged.
The removal of Fasasi was facilitated by the new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Tosin Adeola Ajayi.
The Replacement
Fasasi has been replaced by Rasheed Atanda Lawal, a deputy director currently participating in a fellowship at the National Institute for Security Studies.
He was instructed to proceed on a year-long security course abroad, a diplomatic move signaling his exit from the position.
Sources confirm that Fasasi’s removal is part of a larger restructuring within the DSS led by the newly appointed DG.
The restructuring has the full backing of President Tinubu, who, upon Ajayi’s appointment in August 2023, directed him to restore the agency’s integrity and professionalism.
But then, that is just one side of the story.
On the other side, insiders have revealed that Fasasi allegedly abused his position to secure multiple promotions within the service.
Allegations Against Fasasi
“He was promoted three times in one year, surpassing senior DSS officers,” a source revealed. “Some of these officers had been in the service for six to eight years before him.”
“For instance, the new CSO, Lawal, was due for promotion to Director in July 2023, but his advancement was delayed under the former management of the service.
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“He is one of the Deputy Directors who should have been promoted in July 2023, but those positions were given to juniors, including Fasasi, due to favoritism,” another source within the DSS disclosed to Western Post.
Additionally, Fasasi was accused of arrogance, high-handedness, disrespect, and alleged corruption—though these allegations remain unverified.
“Fasasi rubbed many people the wrong way around the President,” the source continued. “Even the President himself was reportedly dissatisfied with how he managed his role.”
It was gathered that further removals and redeployments are expected within the agency.
