A former Director (Operations) in the Department Of State Services, DSS, Chief Raymond Nkemdirim has said remembering his contributions during his years of service in breaking the backbone of terrorism gives him joy, ABN TV reports.
While noting that such actions, which he said fall under his oath of secrecy with the Service helped in saving the country from totally being overtaken by terrorists, he added that they are being expanded upon.
Speaking on Saturday at his Abuja home when he hosted the management team of Igbere TV who were at his home to formally inform him of his nomination and voting for award of Outstanding Security Achievement, Nkemdirim who retired as an Assistant Director-General in the Service after 35 years of meritorious service said terrorists were given a bloody nose during his years of service in states like Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi and others, leading to them to flee to Borno where they made a stronghold.
https://youtu.be/yDqmIfXn3rY
While noting that a lot more could be done to totally wipe the terrorists out of existence in the country, he said new frontiers in technology will be of assistance in ending the insurgency war.
On how he rose through the ranks to the peak of his career in the country’s secret police service, Nkemdirim a philanthropist and a stakeholder in the hospitality industry said his skill in diplomacy, mind control among other things may have helped him.
“A lot of times, my colleagues who are even still in the service would come to me and ask ‘oga how did you do it. We never saw you shout for one day but everything moved well. A lot of times we shout but you, even if you are told a whole building is engulfed in flames, you always take it calmly and forge ahead’.
“It means that people should be able to appreciate situations. They should not overreact or react to situations on the spot at the moment.
“Whatever comes your way, take time and appraise it. That is what an intelligence officer is trained to do. When you get information, for instance, information does not become intelligence unless it is processed” he said.
He also cited proactiveness in nipping potential security threats in bud as the then Director of Operations as high points of his career.
Nkemdirim is among the 30 Nigerians who will be awarded at various categories of national service in the Igbere TV Leadership Excellence award scheduled to take place on November 2, 2021 at Sheraton Hotel Abuja.