The Director -General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, has explained why he resigned from the position he has occupied for over six years.
Ahmed Rufai, was appointment DG of the Nigeria’s intelligence agency in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who extended his stay in office in December 2021.
The NIA Director -General resigned on Saturday, 24 August 2024 tendered his resignation letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
In a chat with State House correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu, the NIA boss, cited family reasons for his resignation.
“There are quite a number of reasons one will do that. Some personal, some may be because of family issues, but nothing very serious, actually, and the friendship will continue”, he said.
“I discussed with Mr. President, he understood very well, and I promised to remain steadfast with the issues and the security situations of the country”
He thank the President for allowing him to serve for 15 months in his government having occupied the office since 2018.
“After the briefing, I 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”, Rufai said .
The NIA Chief was accompanied to the meeting by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Ahmed Rufai, 71-year -old, attended Bayero University, Kano, where he bagged bachelor’s and master’s degree in French.
The former DG was a career foreign service officer, from Katsina State, joined the security department of the Nigerian Foreign Service in 1993.
In 2015, he was appointed Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on International Relations and Foreign Affairs.
-9News Nigeria.
