| Agencyname: | National Intelligence and Security Service |
| Nativename: | የብሔራዊ መረጃና ደኅንነት አገልግሎት |
| Badge: | NISS Logo.svg |
| Flag: | File:Flag NISS.png |
| Motto: | We shall excel in intelligence and serve loyally |
| Formed: | (1941); 82 years ago |
| Employees: | Classified |
| Budget: | Classified |
| Country: | Ethiopia |
| Federal: | Yes |
| Constitution1: | Proclamation 804/2013 Act of Parliament |
| Headquarters: | Arat Kilo, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Chief1name: | Redwan Hussien, Director General |
| Parentagency: | Office of the Prime Minister Ministry of Peace |
| Unittype: | Division |
The National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) (Amharic: የብሔራዊ መረጃና ደህንነት አገልግሎት) is an Intelligence agency of the Ethiopian federal government tasked to defend, protect and advance the National Security and Interests of Ethiopia. It collects, analyze and disseminate intelligence for decision makers. It also is one of two national law enforcement agencies, in Ethiopia next to the Federal Police Commission. It tackles drug trafficking, cybercrime, arms trafficking, human, and other domestic or international organized crime. NISS organizes and leads the Joint Security and Intelligence Task Force established to maintain peace and security across the country. NISS also conducts counter-terrorism activities in collaboration with the different counterpart intelligence agencies and also with the Ethiopian Federal Police, Ethiopian National Defense Force, and other regional security bodies. It was re-established in 2013 GC and renamed the National Intelligence and Security Service although it already has a long extensive prior history in different format and shapes over the course of over 80 years under the Imperial government during Emperor Haile Selassie I and onward through 3 different governmental constitutions and changes.
It is a huge contributor to Ethiopia's resources to Interpol and Afripol as the country's main agency against continental and international related crimes. Contributing to many signed agreements between African, and overseas countries in distrusting illegal activities within said borders and activities.
The organization is the main agency tasked with law enforcement regarding aviation, border security and checkpoints in airports and land designated areas. They are the main intelligence agency in the country including the federal police bar none.[1] [2] They mainly gather their broad network of information from their HUMINT or human intelligence infrastructure. Whilst the Information Network Security Agency or INSA gathers signals intelligence domestically and overseas. The NISS also gathers FININT or financial intelligence as required by law.[3]
They can also purchase distribute and make and also license permits to weapons and explosives traveling in and abroad the country as per law. Formerly local police departments issued licenses to weapons, similar to the United Kingdom, until recently when the NISS was the primary organization tasked with issuing and revoking licenses. They are also tasked with counterterrorism inside and outside the country and protect the current constitution from being attacked.[4] [5] They have the ability to enforce both the Immigration and Nationalities acts in the place of the foreign ministry when deemed necessary. The Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs Authority was replead to give NISS full authority of immigration, refugees and security regarding international commerce and foreign dealings. They have the ability to enforce court warrants granted by a court.[6]
The National Intelligence and Security Service in 2019 showed legal authority and imposed a travel ban on 3,000 individuals from moving out into other countries. This was disclosed after MP's had visited the headquarters of the institution.[7]
Ethiopian NISS and Somalia Intelligence forces worked together to counter act Al-Shabaab and ISIS terrorist through various MOU's signed.[8] The NISS has also various other agreements through Afripol including, Sudan, Kenya and other African nations regarding cross border crimes through varying degrees.[9] [10]
Cooperation with foreign law enforcement and spy agencies has extended to countries like the U.S, Russia, and Israel. In August 2019, the NISS and the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly combat terrorism.[11] In November 2020, the NISS and Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, had agreed to fight in counter-terrorism operations jointly.[12] And on 9 June 2021, the Russian government and NISS had agreed to strengthen cooperation in joint counterterrorism.[13] The South Korean National Intelligence Service also has a join combat program between the NISS.[14] They also have cooperation arrangements with the Ugandan External Security Organization or (ESO) of dealing with illegal immigration and human trafficking and contrabands.[15]
Ethiopia's intelligence agency and its traces back in 1935 where during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I, fascist Italy led by dictator Benito Mussolini invaded the country. This forced the first formation of an older version of the NISS. It was then led by military Lieutenant Workneh Gebeyehu. The agency wasn't created to help Ethiopia in war efforts against Axis forces during the 1936-1941 war between the two nations. Neither Insisting the Ethiopian Imperial armed forces and their respective British allies in cooperation of the war effort by the Emperor, since the agency was immediately created after the liberation of Ethiopia after the invasion in 1941. After the war ended and years had passed, the Emperor's government led by Prime Minister Makonnen Endelkachew in 1955 was incorporated into the National Security overseed in a 'special cabinet' under provision of Solomon Kedir head of the special cabinet. In 1960 it was clear that the intelligence agency wasn't able to disseminate a coup led by General Mengistu Neway and Dejazemach Germame Neway. Nonetheless the armed forces of Ethiopia were able to stop the attempted coup d'etat. The intelligence agency was broken up in 4 other divisions of the Ethiopian intelligence community during the time of Haile Selassie I. The other divisions of the community of intelligence spied on each other also including civilians.[16] [17]
During the Derg regime, starting in 1974 after the successful toppling of Emperor Haile Selassie I in a coup d'etat. A fundamental change of the agency was made. The agency was named 'Committee for peoples Security and Peace' this was provided in the Derg's proclamation 10/1966. During the early 80s the Derg establishes the agency(s) as 'Ministry of Security Protection for the Country and the People' for the purpose of intelligence gathering. And in the late 80s the Derg finally establish it as 'Ministry of Internal Affair' and given its nature it has no capabilities of law enforcement domestically in the nation. Due to economic and war turmoil between modern day Eritrea, and Somalia, the agency had to work not only on citizens or civilians but help in the front against hostile foreign agents in cooperation with the defence forces.
In 1991 during the fall of the Derg military Junta, military insurgents from northern Ethiopia led by the TPLF form a new constitution in which the formation and the creation of an intelligence agency is in face. Nonetheless the former workforce of the previous intelligence officers created by the Derg was disbarred and made 'dysfunctional' to which a brand-new organization related to Intelligence was formed. During the mid 90s the TPLF led government appoints Kuma Demeksa to lead the department overseeing the intelligence under Ministry of Internal Affair. Kinfe Gebremedhin was the director of the agency itself. Later on, in the 90s on wared to the early 2000s the government of Ethiopia under the TPLF renames the organization as 'Authority for Security, Immigration and Refugees Affair' to which giving a broader power and even a law enforcement aspect to the organization. Giving authority to oversee immigration from borders, airport terminals and such, and refugees under parliament proclamation 6/1987. And during the early 2000s the intelligence agency switches directors with Getachew Assefa replacing Kinfe Gebremedhin. Getachew Assefa leads the agency for 17 years from the early 2001 to 2018.[18] [19] [20] The NISS and the Ethiopian Federal Police's Joint Anti-Terror Task Force both apprehended 35 suspects, later turned increased to 46 suspects, many of whom were high ranking Ethiopian military officials for staging a possible revolution through a Coup d'état. Nonetheless 8 of the 46 suspects were released due to the lack of incriminating evidence found, 14 found in absentia. Only 5 were acquitted in the trials of the Ginbot 7 individuals. The NISS with the EFP has had to deal with heightened tensions and possible terror attacks against international organizations located in Addis Ababa and warning the public through media communication to give details of any possible attacks during the 2008-2009 period.[21] In addition the NISS has detained and illegally arrested 14 Americans in their Immigration and Nationalities division headquarters in Addis Ababa, where they questioned them. Later on, they were put in trial and released under prime minister Meles Zenawi's direction.[22]
The NISS over its three decades of its modern existence has made politically motivated arrests, and torture, to journalists who oppose the government's points of views, and individuals. The NISS in its rebranding allowed for parliamentary oversight in its conductions of duties and day to day works. News media agencies were allowed also to report on the parliamentary oversight NISS even if most media were government owned and state affiliated one private media was allowed also the Reporter. In an effort to rebrand the institution, NISS will have a new name— the National Intelligence Center (NIC) — as well as a new logo, Demelash (former director of NISS) said. Going into the merits of the restructuring, Demelash talked about a draft law, currently under scrutiny in the Council of Ministers, which is expected to refer it to the House People's Representatives where it will be ratified. According to Demelash, the new law will clearly demarcate the powers and functions of the intelligence service and ensure that the activities are subject to institutional oversight and appropriate safeguards. The bill also incorporates an article that will prevent all officers of agency from having any affiliation with political parties so that the intelligence service operation is fully independent and has professional integrity. The officers and the intelligence service, in general, will not have any engagement with activities supporting, promoting or influencing political objectives of any kind, advanced by any lawful political party, organization or group. The bill also plans to suspend the intelligence service from conducting any security vetting or monitoring works over legal political parties or institutions connected to the freedom of expression.[23] But Ethiopia's democratic index is one of the lowest in the world, and the agency has had criticism regarding its silence on political corruption of government officials.[24] Former officials of the NISS had been charged with gross human rights abuses, dereliction of duty through ill act on finically supported deadly weapons as explosives being used for non-duty related activity. Getachew Assefa the former head of the organization has been found guilty and is a convicted felon in absentia for corruption including mass murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison.[25] Other high members as Yared Zerihun, the chief of the anti-terrorism taskforce division of the NISS, and Emanuel Kiros, a former senior official at the agency have been arrested and found guilty and sentenced to 3 to 5 years in prison for human rights abuses deducted from corruption and dereliction of duty in the Federal High Court, Lideta division, the second highest court of Ethiopia.[26] [27] [28] [29] [30] On December 4, 2021, during the height of the Tigray war, the NISS was unsuccessfully searching to arrest Tigrayan Ethiopian Airlines employees for 'terrorism' solely due to their ethnicity, during at the time of high levels of propagated hate towards Tigrayans and their affiliates. Others such as technicians and Ethiopian Airlines employees have escaped prior to this on December 1st, of 2021, in the then prolonged conflict.[31]
Although Ethiopia has good relations with the United States of America, especially after cooperation with the US for over 80 years, problems have arisen between the nations. A former Abraham Teklu Lemma, an NISS agent working for its Foreign Research and Studies division in the United States was providing the ENDF and the National Intelligence Security Agency satellite imagery from National Reconnaissance Office to which Abraham a contractor at the US State Department had classified access to due to his status as an administrator at the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research division which is a part of the US Intelligence Community. The imagery assisted Ethiopia in combating the TPLF during the Tigray war.[32] [33] Abraham is currently charged with Espionage. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) are currently investigating the matter.[34] [35] [36] [37]
In 2021 the NISS was able to gather intel that a terrorist plot was setting place in the capital, Addis Ababa targeted against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy by Iranian nationals. 16 Iranian nationals were arrested by the NISS for a suspected terror attack against the UAE Embassy and staff.[38] The NISS also had said that such attacks were also being planned in Sudan. Ethiopian government had said this was for a retaliation against the death for Iranian General Qassem Soleimani to which the country had nothing to do with. It is unknown what happened with the arrested suspects and their then 35-year-old leader Ahmed Ismail.[39] [40]
The internationally and domestically listed terrorist organization Al-Shabaab has had some of its suspected 34 members arrested by the NISS. The members were said to plan a methodically coordinated attack in Addis Ababa, and the rest of the country in a terror plan. Many of the arrests were made in rural areas of the country. The NISS made a statement saying possible threats may arise following the 2022 arrests of the members. Al-Shabaab has stayed silent on the matter regarding the 34 number arrests made against its members across various regional states and parts of the country, including its capital Addis Ababa and such. The exact threat or plans of the arrested terrorists was not disclosed to the public by the organization: and what type of infrastructure, religious, or economic or such attacks being planned were not specified.[41] [42]
| Name | Native Name | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Workneh Gebeyehu | ሌተናል ወርቅነህ ገበየሁ | 1941-1960 | |
| Solomon Kedir | ሰለሞን ከድር | 1960-1974 | |
| Colonel Tesfaye Woldesilassie | ኮሎኔል ተስፋዬ ወልደስላሴ | 1974-1991 | |
| Kuma Demeksa | ኩማ ደመቅሳ | 1991-1995 | |
| Kinfe Gebremedhin | ክንፈ ገብረመድህን | 1995-2001 | |
| Getachew Assefa | ጌታቸው አሰፋ | 2001-2018 | |
| Adem Mohammed | አደም ሞሃመድ | 7 June 2018 – 28 June 2020 | |
| Demelash Gebremichael | ደምመላሽ ጌብሬሚካኤል | 28 June 2020 – 8 November 2020 | |
| Temesgen Tiruneh | ተመስገን ጥሩነህ | 20 April 2018 – 6 February 2020 | |
| Redwan Hussien | ሬድዋን ሑሴን | 28 February 2024 - Incumbent |
The NISS is also tasked with graduating and training Republican Guards in the University of National Intelligence and Security. "The Republican Guard students must graduate The National Intelligence and Security University College, which is administered by the NISS. This university, which is operated by the National Intelligence and Security Service, is meant to train them in their disciplinary duties, after they finish and complete their physical trainings in Ethiopia." The Role of protecting the President and Prime Minister and their respective families transferred from the NISS to the Ethiopian Republican Guard a branch of the Ethiopian Armed forces.[43] [44]
Although the Republican Guard protects High ranking visiting dignitaries, heads of state and government, the NISS with INSA (signals intelligence agency) would provide intelligence towards the Republican Guard for risk assessment.[45] [46] They also train aviation authorities, to control checkpoints in ports of commerce, and airports, and border points for foreign goods and peoples and citizens coming in and out the country.[47]
The NISS with its sister agency the EFP are both permanent members of the National Security Council (NSC) of Ethiopia and as such has played a crucial role in the war in Tigray, in the country's northernmost regional state. It with the National Defense Force and Ministry of Defense of Ethiopia and its various branches has been able to orchestrate capture, execute former TPLF leaders while in guerrilla warfare. As part of the NSC the NISS directly reports to the Prime Minister's Office and nonetheless in addition to the Ministry of Peace as its parent department.[48]
| Seal | Organization | Parent organization | Federal department | Date est. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office of the Prime Minister (PMO) | Government of Ethiopia | Constitution of Ethiopia | 1909 | ||
| National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) | Ministry of Peace | Cabinet | 1941 | ||
| Federal Police (EFP) | Cabinet | 1995 | |||
| Information Network Security Agency (INSA) | Ministry of Peace | Cabinet | 2006 | ||
| National Defence Force | Ministry of Defense | Cabinet | 1907 |
The NISS leads the Joint National Counter-Terrorism Division or (JNCTD) which leads crackdowns against suspected criminal activities related to terror in Ethiopia and such. The Ethiopian Federal Police assisting with manpower and the Ministry of Justice's Legal Affairs Directorate and Action Plan Coordination Office enabling legal remedies and actions against suspects as the legal arm of the government of Ethiopia. Nonetheless the NISS role as the sole prerogative of the country's anti-terror organization besides the military puts lawmakers and government policy makers on the pen stroke sustainable to possible bias reports on certain actions.
| Seal | Organization | Parent organization | Federal department | Date est. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) | Ministry of Peace | Cabinet | 1941 | ||
| Federal Police (EFP) | Cabinet | 1995 | |||
| Legal Affairs Directorate and Action Plan Coordination Office | Ministry of Justice | Cabinet | 1939 |
The Ethiopian NISS although not necessarily any drones of its own, operates them side by side with the Ethiopian Ministry of Defense, specifically the Ethiopian Air Force and thus uses drones as a means of gathering intelligence with the Ethiopian National Defense Force.[49]
| Aircraft | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayraktar TB2[50] [51] | UCAV | TB2 | |||
| Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı[52] | UCAV | Akinci | |||