President Bola Tinubu has made a significant move by approving the appointment of new Directors-General (DGs) for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale announced yesterday that Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed will be the new DG of the NIA and Adeola Ajayi will be the new DG of the DSS.
The statement highlighted the extensive experience of Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, the new DG of the NIA, who has had an illustrious career in the Foreign Service since joining the NIA in 1995.
“He had served in various roles, culminating in his promotion to the rank of director and his subsequent appointment as the head of the Nigerian mission to Libya.
“The 1990 graduate of Bayero University, Kano, had served in North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, and at the State House, Abuja.”
It further explained, “The new DSS Director-General, Mr Adeola Ajayi, rose through the ranks to attain his current post of Assistant Director-General of the Service.
He served as state Director in Bauchi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Kogi states at various times.
It further said that the new appointments followed the resignation of the previous NIA and DSS chiefs.
The statement added, “President Tinubu expects that the new security chiefs will work assiduously to reposition the two intelligence agencies for better results and charges them to bring their experience to bear in tackling the security challenges bedeviling the country through enhanced collaboration with sister agencies, and in surgical alignment with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).”
The president thanked the outgoing D-Gs of the two pivotal intelligence agencies for their services to the nation.
He also wished them success in their future endeavours.
It would be recalled that the former DG of NIA, Ahmed Rufai, had told journalists at the weekend that he briefed the President at the State House and, thereafter, tendered his resignation after serving for seven years in the position.
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However, a top source informed me last night that the changes were long expected.
He added, “In many cases, you do not serve two presidents at that level. Both of them had been there since the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“Again, we learnt that the reorganisation will make them more efficient and effective due to the recent security challenges. They will also be part of the president’s loyal forces,” the source further said.
