DSS and the Tinubu Islamic Center: A Misstep Amid Nigeria’s Crisis?
In the face of Nigeria's economic crisis and rising insecurity, the DSS's commissioning of a religious center named after President Tinubu raises serious concerns about institutional misuse, blurred lines between religion and governance, and misplaced priorities.
The Wayout Media Network TWOMN 
In a country overwhelmed by economic hardship, mass unemployment, and chronic insecurity, the recent commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Center for Islamic Studies by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) is nothing short of baffling.
Let that sink in.
The DSS - the nation’s top intelligence agency tasked with safeguarding internal security, countering terrorism, and detecting espionage—has veered dangerously off course by constructing a religious education center. Not just any center, but one named after the sitting president.
This is not an attack on Islam. This is about institutional integrity.
At a time when millions of Nigerians are enduring severe hardship, struggling to afford food, and fearing for their lives amid rampant insecurity, the DSS has chosen to invest its time and resources in a religious construction project. This raises fundamental questions:
Is this the best use of taxpayer money?
What message does this send to Christians, traditionalists, and even Muslims who see through this thin veil of tokenism?
Is the DSS now in the business of faith-based infrastructure development?
Nigeria is constitutionally a secular state. So, what justification does the DSS have for building a religious center named after the President? This move signals a dangerous entanglement between faith and governance. It reeks of soft propaganda and detachment from the real struggles of everyday Nigerians.
The core mandate of the DSS is national security, not public relations or political appeasement. If they truly have excess capacity for development, why not:
Build a forensic lab to combat rising terrorism?
Improve intelligence facilities to tackle banditry?
Invest in counter-terrorism training and infrastructure?
The decision is tone-deaf at best, and a gross abuse of power at worst. It is an insult to Nigerians suffering under the crushing weight of hunger, joblessness, and fear.
We need a national conversation on boundaries, governance, and accountability. The DSS must return to its core responsibilities - our national security cannot afford such a costly distraction.
