August 24, (THEWILL) – The Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, says he has resigned from office and that President Bola Tinubu has accepted it.
Abubakar was appointed in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Confirming his resignation after meeting with the President, Abubakar said he resigned for some personal family issues but emphasised that after seven years as DG, many officers who can do the job excellently have to be given the opportunity to serve.
He thanked President Tinubu for giving him the opportunity to serve under his transformational leadership.
His words: “It’s a routine thing from time to time to brief Mr. President on situations and issues and today is no exception. After the briefing, I actually tendered my resignation and Mr. President graciously approved and accepted the resignation. I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to serve Nigeria under his transformational leadership for an extended period of 15 months, which is very rare to have the opportunity to serve under two Presidents at a stretch.
“I thanked him very well and I promise to remain professionally dedicated to our country and its noble course.”
Asked why he resigned, he said, “There are quite a number of reasons, some personal family issues. Nothing serious actually, I discussed with Mr. President and he understood very well.”
Asked about the reaction of Mr. President, Abubakar said, “I think it’s not for me to say actually. Probably I will be breaching a protocol. Maybe the NSA or Mr. President himself would say it. But what I can tell you is that I am very very grateful for the opportunity the President gave me to serve under his leadership. The encouragement I got, the confidence he had in me and my service, the opportunity to listen to me, to read briefing notes and advice. This, for me, is everything.
“I have had the opportunity to mentor officers and staff for all the period I have been DG. This is the seventh year by the way and the opportunity to mentor younger officers to come up. And now we have a lot of officers who can do this job excellently very well.”
