The high echelon of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) has bemoaned deep and widespread tribalism, malfeasance and corruption in President Muhammadu Buhari government
In a secret Memo seen by Pampamnews, the spy chiefs lamented that the hopes and aspirations of competent and brilliant officers are being dashed due to Buhari’s unapologetic tribal and religious prejudice in appointing staff members into key positions in the NIA.
The aggrieved intelligence chiefs, who expressed their displeasure with situation of things in NIA, in December 16 secret memo directed at Buhari, admonished the president to respect seniority and hierarchy in appointment into key positions.
“But we here at the NIA, are seeing these hopes dashed every day due to high-handedness, maladministration, repressive governance, segregation, and extreme impunity. It looks like in the Dolphin House, there is no regulatory body like other MDAs. Apparently, it is winner takes all here,” the memo partly read.
The NIA, led by Ahmed Abubakar, is responsible for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence.
Since the assumption of office in 2015, critics say Buhari has sidelined other qualified persons from other ethnic groups in the military and other security agencies in favour of those his tribe, Fulani.
Over the years, top politicians, rights bodies, and socio-cultural organisations have decried Buhari’s utter contempt for the Federal Character policy in the recruitment into security agencies.
Critics of his administration had faulted him over the appointment of Mr Abubakar as the NIA boss on January 10, 2018, stating that the appointment was based on favouritism and not merit.
One of the critics, APC senator Isa Misau, accused Mr Buhari of appointing incompetent people into his cabinet, arguing that Mr Abubakar who was a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs/International Relations was unqualified for the spy agency position.
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“So many incompetent people are holding so many positions. Fifty per cent of the ministers are not performing. Since the president assumed office he has not taken any decision to move this country. So many appointments in this government are not on merit,” the Bauchi senator had said.
The presidency had defended the appointment in a statement, arguing that “the President appointed the new DG because he had worked closely with him in the past two years, and sincerely believes that he would add value to the NIA.”
