The Department of State Services (DSS) has officially announced the replacement of Adegboyega Fasasi as the chief security officer (CSO) to President Bola Tinubu.

It was gathered that the DSS deployed Rasheed Lawal, a deputy director within the secret police, as the president’s new CSO.

A State House source said the request for the replacement reportedly came from Tosin Ajayi, the director-general (DG) of DSS, who sought President Tinubu’s approval for Fasasi’s temporary reassignment.

The source said the replacement will allow Fasasi, who has worked with Tinubu since he became president, to proceed on a professional course.

“I heard he has been replaced with another officer because he is being sent on a professional training course,” the source said.

“At least there is a reason for his removal, and you can’t really premise that on any particular scandal. Though you can’t entirely rule out that there might have been a misgiving somewhere, it happens.

“Whenever a new DG comes to office at the DSS, he is most likely to embark on reorganisation in various areas of the service, especially around the president.

“The new DG will always prefer to have his own trusted men on critical beats, with the presidency and the office of the CSO being number one on that list.”

There has been no official statement from the presidency or the DSS to confirm the change.