…”Why we celebrated Bichi’s exit” - DSS officers
Revelations on the reasons behind the recent resignation of the immediate-past Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi, and the DG of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar, has emerged.
According to report, sources within the Presidency revealed that President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, (Nuhu Ribadu, questioned the intelligence-gathering mechanisms of the two agencies following the violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protests in some northern States and the seizure of three presidential aircraft in France.
It was gathered that President Tinubu and Nuhu Ribadu, expressed dissatisfaction with the intelligence failures that allowed these events to unfold. According to credible sources, the duo were embarrassed by the turn of events on the seizure of the presidential jets and the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
Bichi was held accountable for the lack of actionable intelligence on the protests, which turned violent in several northern States, while Abubakar was criticised for the NIA’s failure to foresee the aircraft seizure by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd.
Recall that a French court had sanctioned the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets, including a newly purchased Airbus, amid a legal dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.
Abubakar announced his resignation on Saturday, August 24, after meeting with President Tinubu. In contrast, Bichi’s resignation was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, August 26.
The report quoted another source as saying that Bichi and Ribadu had been having a running battle before the protest, with the fallout from the northern demonstrations serving as the final straw.
Bichi’s resignation was reportedly welcomed by DSS staff, who cited unprofessional conduct, nepotism, and interference in operations by his family as key issues during his tenure. There were also claims that Bichi’s leadership hampered career advancements within the service and neglected workers’ welfare.
The DSS officers listed Bichi’s alleged misconduct to include undue interference in the Service’s operations by his wife and son, Yusuf Bichi. A video of some DSS staff members allegedly celebrating Bichi’s resignation surfaced online immediately after his departure.
Tweets on social media also criticised the former DSS boss, accusing him of allowing his family to abuse power because of his position.
Observers have said the resignation of these security chiefs reflects the Government’s efforts to address perceived lapses in national security and intelligence-gathering.
