The reasons behind the resignation from office by the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Abubakar, have been revealed.
According to Saturday PUNCH, sources within the Presidency questioned the efficiency of the two top intelligency officers in the complacency in build-up to the nationwide hunger protest that started on August 1.
“President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had questioned the intelligence gathering mechanisms of the two agencies following the violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protests in some Northern States. And also the seizure of three presidential aircraft in France,” PUNCH reported.
“While Bichi was held responsible for lack of functional intelligence on the protest, Abubakar was reportedly queried for the NIA’s inability to have reports ahead of the seizure of the jets by a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited.”
Recall that a French court had sanctioned the seizure of three Nigerian presidential jets, including a newly purchased Airbus. This was a fallout of a legal dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State Government.
Also, remember that the nationwide hunger protest, tagged #EndBadGovernance protest, which began on August 1, turned violent in some Northern States. The States are Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi. The protests, however, were relative peaceful in the Southwest and South-South, it recorded non-compliance in the Southeast.
Also, during the protests in some the Northern States, hoodlums vandalized public and private facilities. They also looted shops and caused mayhem.
To curtail the damage, curfews were imposed in some of these States; Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Borno and Plateau.
The DSS boss, Yusuf Bichi, hails from Kano State, where widespread destruction and looting occurred. He was appointed on September 14, 2018, by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The NIA chief, Ahmed Abubakar, hails from Katsina State, and also appointed by former President Buhari on January 10, 2018.
Following their poor handling of the two incidents that caused the country national embarrassments, PUNCH reports that President Tinubu and the NSA boss, Ribadu were embarrassed.
“The seizure of the presidential jets and violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protest embarrassed the President nationally and internationally.
“The President was displeased with the NIA and DSS bosses. This was why he requested the resignation of the two security chiefs,” said one of the sources reported by PUNCH.
Another source told Saturday PUNCH that Bichi and Ribadu had been having a running battle before the protests. Therefore, the fallout from the northern demonstrations served as the final straw that broke the Carmel’s back.
He stated, “The former DSS DG and the NSA boss had been on bad terms for some time. Their issues escalated to the point that Bichi was unable to meet the President for a while. The Presidency finally had a valid reason to dismiss him due to the #EndBadGovernance protest,” PUNCH wrote.
Recall that the NIA boss, Abubakar announced his resignation on Saturday, August 24, after meeting with President Tinubu.
The DSS Chief, Bichi’s resignation was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, August 26.
source: PUNCH
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