Buhari appoints Yusuf Bichi as new DSS DG, Southern & Middle-Belt leaders alleges nepotism

President Muhammadu Buhari has named a new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), replacing Matthew Seiyeifa (appointed by VP Yemi Osibanjo as Acting Director-General after the removal of Lawal Daura by on August 7) with Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

The appointment which takes effect from Friday, September 14 2018, was disclosed in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The statement read: "President Buhari has approved with effect from the 14th of September, the appointment of Yusuf Magaji Bichi (fwc), as new Director-General of the Department of State Service.

"The appointee is a core secret service operative.

"He attended Danbatta Secondary School, the Kano State College of Advanced Studies and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,  where he graduated with a degree in Political Science.

"The new Director-General began his career in the security division of the Cabinet Office in Kano, from where he joined the defunct Nigerian Security Organisation, the precursor of the present DSS.

"Mr  Bichi has undergone training in intelligence processing analysis, agent handling recruitment and intelligence processing in the United Kingdom, as well as strategic training at the National Defence College.

"The new DSS boss comes to the job with skills in intelligence gathering, research analysis, conflict management, general investigation, risk and vulnerability operations, counter intelligence and protective operation and human resources management.

"In the course of his career, Mr Bichi has worked as the State Director of Security in Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto and Abia states.

"He was at various times the Director, National Assembly Liaison, (National War College), Director at National Headquarters in the Directorate of Security Enforcement, Directorate of Operations, Directorate of Intelligence, Directorate of Inspection and Directorate of Administration and Finance.

"He also served as Director at State Service Academy. Mr Bichi is married and with children.

What has been the reaction to the appointment?

Bichi's appointment provoked reaction from a prominent forum, The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) which said the appointment exposes the "rabid nepotism" of the Buhari-led administration and showed the President did not believe that the country is one.

The forum said the nation had not had a more parochial, sectional and tribalistic leader than Buhari since it attained independence in 1960.

These was made in a statement signed by Chief Edwin Clark (South-South), Chief Ayo Adebanjo (South West), Chief John Nwodo (South East) and Dr. Bitrus Pogu (Middle Belt).

The statement also said: "The I-don't-care and in-your-face attitude of the President in restoring Nigeria security architecture to the provocative situation of having 16 out of 17 service chiefs from his corner of the country is a clear demonstration of the fact that Nigeria for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is no more than his section of Nigeria.

"Since 1960, Nigeria has never had a leader more sectional, parochial, and tribalistic like the current President who went on a global stage to divide Nigeria into "97 and 5 per cent."

The SMBLF noted: "The only qualification for this appointment is therefore only the rabid nepotism of the President which has seen him always masking personal and sectional interest as "national interest."

"Besides, Bichi is an out-of-the -system man drafted by Mr Lawan Daura in the days of his nepotism rule at the DSS. The next six most senior persons in the line of succession at the DSS after Seiyefa, from our findings, are all southerners which may explain why the President picked a man who already retired from the DSS to lead because of ethnic affinity".

The group rejected the appointment and "we do not shy in telling Mr President that he no longer pretends that the country is one under him."



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