The Department of State Services (DSS) appointed Mr. Nnochirionye Afunanya as its spokesperson.
Afunanya replaces Ms. Marilyn Ogar, who was relieved of her appointment in 2015 by the former director general of DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura.
The agency said in a statement that Afunanya, obtained MA in English (2009) from the University of Uyo and another MA in Peace and Strategic Studies (2011) from the University of Ilorin and is currently pursuing a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
DSS also stated that the new spokesman is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, Nigerian Red Cross, Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security, Society for Peace Scholars and Practice, American Society for Industrial Security, and he is a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration.
“He has attended several courses within and outside Nigeria, namely Innovation and Strategy at Harvard University, Boston, USA; Security Management and Coordination, London and Investigative Journalism at City University, London.
“Other courses he has attended are on leadership, arbitration, conflict management/resolution, negotiation and public communication, among others.
“He is the editor-in-chief of the DSS in-house magazine, The Triple S,” DSS added.
Prior to Afunanya’s appointment, the Service, having disbanded the Public Relations department and forcefully retired Ogar, was using a non-existing Tony Opuiyo as its spokesman.
It would also be recalled that the new director general of DSS, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa, had, at his maiden press briefing assured that he would not joke with the media given its prime place in nation-building and promised to revisit the closure of the media unit.
