Tinubu Sacks Bichi, Picks Ajayi As New DSS Boss
- Ambassador Mohammed takes over at NIA
BY EDMOND ODOK – President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Directors-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced this in a statement on Monday said Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed is the new NIA helmsman while Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi takes over as the new Director-General of the DSS.
Ajayi replaces Yusuf Magaji Bichi who was appointed by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 while Mohammed’s appointments follows the recent resignation of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar as the NIA Chief.
Ambassador Mohammed, who is a 1990 graduate of Bayero University, Kano, has enjoyed an illustrious career in the foreign service since joining the NIA in 1995.
Aside from serving in different roles, leading to his promotion to the rank of Director and subsequent appointment as the head of the Nigerian mission to Libya, Mohammed’s duty tour also included postings to North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, and the State House, Abuja.
For the new DSS Chief, Ajayi, he rose through the ranks to attain his current post of Assistant Director-General of the Service.
At various times, he served as State Director in Bauchi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Kogi States
The statement by Ngelalee said President Tinubu expects the new security chiefs to work assiduously towards repositioning the two intelligence agencies for better results.
He also charged 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 thanks the outgoing Directors-General of the two pivotal intelligence agencies for their services to the nation while wishing them success in their future endeavours”, the statement added.
