Ita Ekpeyong
{{Short description|Nigerian security officer}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Ita Ekpeyong
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| imagesize =
| smallimage =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = Director of the State Security Service
| term_start1 = 7 September 2010
| term_end1 = 2 July 2015
| predecessor1 = Afakriya Gadzama
| successor1 = Lawal Musa Daura|
| birth_place = Unknown
| death_date =
}}
Ita Esien Ekpeyong mni{{cite web|title=EKPENYONG ESIEN ITA, CFR, mni (2010 to 2015)|url=https://dss.gov.ng/index.php/aboutus/leadership/item/126-ekpenyong-esien-ita|website=Nigerian State Security Service|accessdate=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713130512/https://dss.gov.ng/index.php/aboutus/leadership/item/126-ekpenyong-esien-ita|archive-date=2015-07-13|url-status=dead}} (or Ekpenyong) is a Nigerian security officer who served as Director General of the State Security Service from September 2010 to July 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan.
Background
Ekpeyong was born in Cross River State.{{cite web
|url=http://odili.net/news/source/2011/mar/8/512.html
|work=The Sun (Nigeria)
|title=Why I appointed Ita Ekpeyong SSS DG - Jonathan
|author=JULIANA TAIWO
|date=March 8, 2011
|accessdate=2011-06-22
|archive-date=2012-03-19
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319000840/http://odili.net/news/source/2011/mar/8/512.html
|url-status=dead
}} He studied at the University of Calabar, obtaining a BA (Hons) in History in 1982, and then a master's in Philosophy. He was the first director of the Institute of Security Studies in Abuja, a training school for intelligence officers. He then was appointed director of the Senior Staff Development Centre of the SSS in Bauchi.
Ekpenyong also held position of SSS director in the states of Bauchi, Kwara, Lagos, Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory.
Before he was appointed Director General, he was Acting National Director (Operations) of the SSS.{{cite web
|url=http://www.transparencyng.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2118:ita-ekpenyong&catid=161:publiccivil-servants&Itemid=169
|work=Transparency for Nigeria
|title=Ita Ekpenyong
|date=9 September 2010
|accessdate=2011-06-22
|url-status=usurped
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319210700/http://www.transparencyng.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2118%3Aita-ekpenyong&catid=161%3Apubliccivil-servants&Itemid=169
|archivedate=19 March 2012
}}
His efforts at the 2007 governorship election in Anambra State was said to have influenced Jonathan's choice to appoint him.{{cite web
|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/varying-the-guard-according-to-his-taste/79191/
|work=ThisDay
|title=Varying the Guard According to His Taste
|date=11 Sep 2010
|accessdate=2011-06-22
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316214723/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/varying-the-guard-according-to-his-taste/79191/
|archive-date=16 March 2012
|url-status=dead
}}
Director General of the SSS
Ekpeyong was appointed Director General of the State Security Service on 7 September 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ekpenyong is perceived as likely to improve the public perception of the SSS, which has been negative in the past.
He has said "The frontiers of security management have moved away from the culture of impunity to the friendly frontiers of the rule of law, due process, civility and professionalism ... Democratic changes and their attributes, such as due process, rule of law and respect for human rights, have become very important for us".{{cite journal
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201105120511.html?page=2
|title=Nation, Violence and Efficient Intelligence
|journal=Vanguard (Nigeria)
|date=11 May 2011
|accessdate=2011-06-22}}
After pre-election violence in Benue State in March 2011, the SSS invited prominent people for questioning at SSS headquarters in Abuja. They included Adamu Aleiro, Barnabas Gemade, Iyorchia Ayu, Steve Ugpa, Daniel Saror and PDP Chairman in the state, Dr. Agbo Emmanuel.
The session, held in an underground cell, lasted for about five hours. At one point Ekpenyong ordered the call to be plunged in darkness for ten minutes to show what the leaders would face if the violence persisted.
After the interrogation an SSS spokesperson said "they were invited because investigations revealed that they were behind the present political violence in the state and that after the interrogation, they showed remorse and were mandated to sign an undertaking to give peace a chance in the state".{{cite web
|url=http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5686538-146/story.csp
|work=Next (Nigeria)
|title=SSS questions Aliero, Gemade and Ayu
|author=Soji Bamidele
|date=March 31, 2011
|accessdate=2011-06-22
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607072824/http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5686538-146/story.csp
|archive-date=June 7, 2011
|url-status=dead
}}
Before the April 2011 general elections, Ekpeyong discussed factors that could mitigate against free and fair elections.
These included the illegal arms shipments, inflammatory stories in the media, religion, political violence and extremist Islamic sects such as the Boko Haram.{{cite web
|url=http://indepthafrica.com/nigeria/headlines/sss-okah-boko-haram-illegal-arms-threaten-polls/
|title=SSS: Okah, Boko Haram, illegal arms threaten polls
|date= March 4, 2011
|work=Indepth Nigeria
|accessdate=2011-06-22}}
Earlier, he had spoken out against "the denial of venues by some state governments to opposition parties".{{cite web
|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-s-competitive-authoritarians/88013/
|work=ThisDay
|title=Nigeria’s Competitive Authoritarians
|date=18 Mar 2011p
|author=Yusuph Olaniyonu
|author-link=Yusuph Olaniyonu
|accessdate=2011-06-22
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321083754/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-s-competitive-authoritarians/88013/
|archive-date=21 March 2011
|url-status=dead
}}
He said that the SSS would provide security to all parties throughout the election period, and would ensure that all parties had a level playing field.{{cite web
|url=http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201103151534950
|title=Divisive politics, religious sentiment our greatest security concerns —SSS DG
|author1=Adelani Adepegba
|author2=Abuja ...
|date=15 Mar 2011
|work=The Punch
}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
On 2 July 2015, Ekpeyong was dismissed by President Muhammadu Buhari and was replaced by Lawal Musa Daura who was a retired State the agency.{{Cite web |title=Buhari backtracks, appoints new SSS chief "acting" DG |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/186031-buhari-backtracks-appoints-new-sss-chief-acting-dg.html |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Premium Times Nigeria}}
Arrest
In August 2018, Ekpeyong was arrested and subsequently released by the Economic Crimes and Financial Commission (EFCC) over alleged complicity in the $2 billion arms deal.{{Cite web|last=Ogundipe|first=Samuel|date=2018-08-09|title=BREAKING: EFCC 'arrests' former SSS chief, Ita Ekpenyong|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/279563-breaking-efcc-arrests-former-sss-chief-ita-ekpenyong.html|access-date=2020-07-15|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|last=Ogundipe|first=Samuel|date=2018-08-09|title=BREAKING: EFCC releases Ita Ekpeyong, ex-SSS DG|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/279598-breaking-efcc-releases-ita-ekpeyong-ex-sss-dg.html|access-date=2020-07-15|language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist |refs=
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201009090762.html
|title=Igboman Heads Army 40 Yrs After Civil War
|work=Leadership (Abuja)
|author1=Iyobosa Uwugiaren |author2=Chuks Ohuegbe |author3=Golu Timothy |author4=Emmanuel Iriogbe |date=8 September 2010
|accessdate=2011-06-22}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ekpeyong, Ita}}
Category:People of Efik descent
Category:Directors general of the State Security Service (Nigeria)
Category:Nigerian security personnel
Category:Members of the Nigerian National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies