Salary of DSS in Nigeria: The Department of State Services (DSS) is indeed the government body in charge of handling all rising internal security matters. Due to the obvious delicate nature of their work, practically all info from this unique group of intelligence officials is secret. As a result, obtaining information on their compensation system is very hard; we can only rely on tidbits that occasionally leak into the general public.

All people looking for DSS Salary Structure for 2024 will profit greatly from having a thorough grasp of the department of State Services DSS Salary Structure. We’ll also provide you with important information here on the Department of State Services’ Salary Structure as we go along. Stay together as we go through this subject in-depth in this post.

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About the Department of State Services (DSS)

The Department of State Services (DSS) which was then known as the State Security Service (SSS) has its roots in pre-colonial Nigeria. In 1948, it formally came into existence with the establishment of the then Department of “E” (Special Branch) which was in the Office of the Inspector General (IG) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

However, its mission is to defend and protect the Federal Republic of Nigeria against domestic threats, to provide leadership and criminal justice services to both Federal and State law-enforcement organs, and to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of Nigeria. This institution represents Nigeria’s major intellect body. The DSS is completely under the control of the president.

The Leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s government also chooses the heads. Its major tasks are also restricted to the county. Their headquarter are in Abuja. Along with a Presidential Decree issued in 1999, the SSS (or DSS) is an agency of the administration. It’s still under the direction of the National Security Adviser.

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Main Duties of the DSS in Nigeria

The DSS was formed for a reason, as you are aware. The following are the key responsibilities or functions of the Nigerian DSS:

a. The major responsibility of the DSS is to safeguard Nigeria’s major political leaders, such as the president, vice president, governors, and accompanying families, as well as all high-profile individuals.

b. The Nigerian state is likewise protected against potential attacks by the State Security Service.

c. In Nigeria, the execution of criminal legislation

d. The DSS also assists Nigeria’s conventional law enforcement authorities in upholding society’s peace and order.

e. Counter-terrorism and insurgent operations in Nigeria, as well as other duties as delegated mostly by the President of Nigeria from time – to – time.

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DSS Ranks in Nigeria

Even though the Nigerian State Security Service is supposed to remain secret, Significant information makes its way into the open. This body of professionals looks to have a rank profile similar to other government security agencies including, the Nigerian Military, Air force, and navy, including the police.

We were able to obtain the DSS’s rank profile in places where we couldn’t get data on their payment system. Non-officers, junior officers, senior officers, and high-ranking officers are indeed the four tiers that one has to go through in the Nigerian State Security Service to reach the pinnacle. The following are perhaps the ranks:

Non-officers;

• Recruit
• Private
• Lance Corporal
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant

Junior Officers;

• Second Lieutenant
• Lieutenant
• Captain

Senior Officers;

• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel

High Ranking officers;

• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
• General

As shown in the chart over, an officer would advance 16 ranks before being the DSS’s head. Non-officers go through 6 stages in the very first level, then junior officers go through 3 stages, and senior officers go through the same process. The last four phases, totaling 16 steps, are delivered at the top officer level.

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Nigeria DSS Salary Structure 2024

What is the monthly payment of DSS officers in Nigeria? Numerous Nigerians have asked the same question more than a thousand times since there appears to be no information on the monthly wages of DSS personnel in Nigeria.

DSS is indeed a secret service, just like we mentioned previously, and they wouldn’t want the public to know anything about them. As a result, the statistics above were obtained from a variety of websites rather than from official sources.The Department of State Services has quite a set of criteria that govern how much employees are paid depending on their grade level, length of service, and current job.

According to data gathered, sergeant personnel on grade 8 in the DSS earn a monthly salary of $75,000, while a grade 7 employee earns just over $50,434 before tax deductions and pension payments. Except for basic pay, there’s a lot more to this excellent company than you may think- from allowances and benefits to annual raises based on how long you’ve been serving there.

According to several reliable sources with direct connections to and awareness of these aspects, the Director-General of the DSS receives up to N1.3 million a month; this income amount will not go unreported by you or whoever else, as it is significant for state officials in functions such as those at DSS Officials that supervise Nigeria retirement pensions scheme (NPC). The lowest-ranking workers there might likely make around N5 and N10k per hour’s work, based on the degree of skill in tasks such as data entering, processed paperwork, and so on.

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Is SSS and DSS the same?

The Nigerian State Security Service is sometimes known as the Department of State Services. SSS and DSS are commonly used interchangeably to refer to the same institution. The institution is solely responsible for the government principal intelligence gathering. And it is the President’s responsibility to pick trustworthy senior officials and place them in charge of the institution.

When recruited, these officers control the institution and report to the president; the explanation behind this is that all that is related to the SSS is classified, so having an intermediary between the company and the president is just not safe. From Aso Rock to the SSS, information flows. Following the Presidential Decree of 1999, they are integrated under the Federal Ministry of Defense, which is overseen by the National Security Adviser. The institutions headquarter is in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

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How can one join the Nigerian DSS?

Those interested in joining the country’s domestic intelligence service must apply through the State Security Services. The SSS differs from other government departments such as the Nigerian Police Force, Navy, Air Force, and Army, which all have a set recruiting timetable. When the necessity arises, the SSS has the exclusive authority to call for their own recruiting.

Criteria For Joining DSS

a. Anyone interested in working for the State Security Services should have at least a WAEC or NECO certification. But on the other side, the DSS wants to enroll kids in top grades.

b. Applicants would be subjected to a range of mental and physical assessments to prove their capability.

c. Qualified candidates must commit to a minimum of six months of training.
When individuals enter the DSS, they should anticipate their info to be secret.

d. All other details about the institution are confidential, including how it functions and how it manages employment, salaries, benefit schemes, rewards, retirement, and withdrawal.

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Interesting Records/Facts About DSS in Nigeria

In 2009, Ms. Ogar took charge of the Department of Public Affairs of the DSS and began to issue press statements on behalf of the Service in the same year.

However, from 2009 to the middle of 2011, she was widely quoted in the media as a spokesperson for the DSS. It was reported that she introduced herself as the Head of Public Affairs in this Department.
At that time, there is little evidence to suggest that she made any reference to DSS in statements of press. However, from 2010 to 2011, “DSS” was boldly written on the bulletproof vests which the personnel of the agency wore at the time of the arraignment of the dealer of the Iranian arms (who was Azim Aghajan).

The first known citation of Ms. Ogar as a “Spokesperson of the DSS” was in a press statement she distributed in 2011, where she announced that some suspects were arrested in connection with the 2011 bombing of the United Nations’ offices in Abuja.

So, the DSS is an agency under the Ministry of Defense supposedly charged with detection and prevention of threats and crimes against the internal security of Nigeria. It is also supposed, to be the leading domestic intelligence agency in Nigeria so as to ensure the protection of the State (and its officials), citizens, infrastructure (from foreign and domestic threat), and critical resources.

Again, the Department of State Services (DSS) has often been seen as a notorious instrument used by the government of Nigeria to ‘seek revenge’ on people who undermine the success of its policies or stand in the way of its activities. So, recent interventions of this agency in a number of issues in the country have drawn attention.

Most recently, the Department of Security Service (DSS) has intervened in efforts to arrest situations that are seen as capable of engendering public unrest which is caused by perceived enemies of peace and democracy in the country. Based on the role of this agency in dealing with erring marketers responsible for fuel scarcity, to stopping industrial actions in some sectors of the country, to fighting alleged criminality which is associated with Naira redesign policy of Nigerian currency (Naira).

However, there have been arguments over the role of the DSS in terms of ensuring law and order in Nigeria. This is particularly significant because the interventions of the DSS come almost when the policy-related strategies of the government must have failed to provide much-needed relief for the public.

This interventions have confused many Nigerians as to the mandate of the secret police, whom many thought were never to be identified in their modus operandi (mode of operation). Many people were often of the view that the operatives of DSS usually work in the shadows to achieve their aims, while the government of Nigeria takes credit for whatever achievement they make.

As at 2023, the DSS went after the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele (in another round of confusing officiousness) for policies of the apex bank in redesigning the currency of the country (Naira), and for another policies which sought to limit the amount of cash withdrawals by corporate bodies and individuals across the counter at banks all over the country.

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Conclusion

I discussed DSS levels and compensation structure in 2024 in this essay. I’ve also noticed that accessible information on the DSS compensation is limited since the agency has done all in its ability to keep its salaries a secret from the general public. In Nigeria 2024, the DSS ranks are comparable to those of other paramilitary groups in the nation.

Every Nigerian who wishes to join the Nigerian DSS must first complete a four-week mandatory DSS training course, for which a small stipend will be paid at the conclusion. Following this training, all successful candidates will be hired by the company.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.