Political leaders become architects of instability, says former DSS director.

A retired Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has stated that political leaders in Nigeria are now active architects of instability because they have failed to distribute the benefits of democracy to the public.

Amachree, a security expert, also warned that corruption and a lack of patriotism among the political class pose a threat to national security.

He made these remarks while presenting a book at the 40th anniversary celebration of the DSS, also known as the State Security Service (SSS).

The intelligence agency was established in 1986 after the National Security Organisation (NSO) was dissolved. The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) were also created from the former NSO.

In his book, “DSS@40: My Journey Behind The Shield,” Amachree gives an insider’s perspective on the challenges, sacrifices, and responsibilities that come with protecting national interests as an operative of the secret service.

Highlighting the danger posed by politicians to national security, he said, “The endemic corruption and profound lack of patriotism among Nigeria’s political class represent a fundamental threat to national security, one that arguably surpasses external adversaries.”

“Rather than providing the stewardship required to stabilize a nation in decline, political leaders have become active architects of instability,” he added.

“Their actions and systemic inaction have transformed the state from a protector of the people into a primary driver of socioeconomic collapse.”

Speaking on the “anatomy of political sabotage,” he noted that the current security crisis in the country is not merely a result of insurgent or criminal activity.

According to Amachree, “This ‘slippery slope’ is a direct symptom of political failure.”