Tinubu appoints Ambassador Mohammed as new DG of National Intelligence Agency

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed as the new Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Mohammed, a seasoned foreign service officer, has had a distinguished career spanning over two decades, serving in various roles and countries, including North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, and Libya, according to the statement by Ngelale.

The statement also confirmed the appointment of Adeola Ajayi as the new Director-General of the Department of State Service.

jayi, the new DSS chief, was said to have risen through the ranks, serving as State Director in several states, including Bauchi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Kogi.

According to the statement, the appointments follow the resignation of the previous heads of the two agencies, Ahmed Abubakar and Yusuf Bichi.

The statement added, “President Tinubu has charged the new security chiefs to work together to reposition the agencies for better results, tackle security challenges, and enhance collaboration with sister agencies and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“The President has also thanked the out going Director-General for their service to the nation and wished them success in their future endeavours.”

Recall that Ahmed Abubakar tendered his resignation to Tinubu on Saturday.

Briefing journalists at the State House after meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Saturday, the former NIA boss cited personal and family issues as his reasons for resigning from office.

“There are quite a number of reasons one will do that. Some personal family issues, but nothing very serious, actually, and the friendship will continue,” he said after tendering his resignation letter to the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

“I discussed with Mr. President, he understood very well, and I promised to remain steadfast with issues and the security situations of the country.”

He also expressed gratitude to the President for allowing him to serve for the first 15 months of the new administrationhaving 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,” Abubakar said.

To Abubakar, he resigned after visiting the President for a routine briefing at the Villa.

He was first appointed DG of the NIA in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who extended his stay in office in December 2021.

Abubakar, a 71-year-old retired 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.

He attended Bayero University in Kano, where he bagged bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French. He also speaks English and Arabic.