The recent resignations of Yusuf Bichi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and Ahmed Abubakar, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), have been attributed to significant intelligence failures that have caused considerable embarrassment for the Nigerian government, both domestically and internationally.
According to sources close to the Presidency, President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu were deeply troubled by the intelligence shortcomings that contributed to the violent #EndBadGovernance protests in northern Nigeria and the controversial seizure of three Nigerian presidential aircraft in France.
The #EndBadGovernance protests began on August 1, 2024, in response to the removal of fuel subsidies, increases in electricity tariffs, and rising costs of living. These protests quickly escalated into violent clashes in several northern states, including Kano, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, and Bauchi. The violence led to widespread property destruction, looting, and the imposition of curfews in affected areas.
Under Bichi’s leadership, the DSS faced criticism for its failure to provide timely and accurate intelligence that could have prevented or mitigated the unrest. The severity of the protests in Kano, Bichi’s home state, raised particular concerns about his effectiveness as the head of the country’s primary domestic intelligence agency.
In a separate incident, a French court seized three Nigerian presidential aircraft amid a legal dispute between the Ogun State Government and Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, a Chinese company. The NIA, under Abubakar’s leadership, was faulted for not anticipating or warning the government about the seizure, which involved a newly purchased Airbus jet.
Sources indicate that President Tinubu and NSA Ribadu were both embarrassed and frustrated by these intelligence failures. The President, feeling let down by the security agencies’ inability to provide timely and effective intelligence, reportedly demanded the resignations of both Bichi and Abubakar.
“The seizure of the presidential jets and the violent nature of the #EndBadGovernance protests caused significant embarrassment for the President on both a national and international scale,” a source close to the matter said. “The President was clearly displeased with the performance of the NIA and DSS leaders, which is why he requested their resignations.”
It was also reported that tensions between Bichi and NSA Ribadu had been escalating for some time prior to the protests, exacerbating operational issues within the agencies. The fallout from the violent demonstrations in the northern states was said to have been the final factor leading to Bichi’s resignation.
Abubakar’s resignation was officially announced on Saturday, August 24, following a meeting with President Tinubu. Bichi’s resignation was later disclosed on Monday, August 26, in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
