Nnochirionye Afunanya Emerges New DSS Spokesperson

The Department of State Services has announced the appointment of Mr. Nnochirionye Afunanya as its spokesperson.

The appointment was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Department of the agency in Abuja on Thursday.

Acting Director General of the agency, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa, had at his maiden press briefing at the national headquarters of the organisation in Abuja, promised that he would appoint a spokesperson for the agency.

Throughout the more than three years that the sacked DG of the agency, Mr. Lawal Daura was at its realm of affairs, the DSS did not have any known official spokesperson.

Afunanya, according to the statement that announced his appointment, obtained MA in English (2009), from the University of Uyo and another MA in Peace and Strategic Studies (2011), from the University of Ilorin. He is said to be currently pursuing a Ph.D in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

The statement said, “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.

Nnochirionye Afunanya also obtained the following degrees:
BA. English (1997) , Abia State University, Uturu; MA. English (2009), University of Uyo; and MA. Peace and Strategic Studies (2011), University of Ilorin.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the DSS’ in-house Magazine, The Triple S.

The new Spokesman is also a member of:
Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NiCarb); Nigerian Red Cross (NRC); Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM); Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security (NIIS); Society for Peace Scholars and Practice (SPSP);
American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS);  and He is a fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration.

His hobbies include: travelling, meeting people, reading, walking and photography.