NIA DG Abubakar cites personal, family reasons for resignation

Ahmed Abubakar, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), submitted his resignation to President Bola Tinubu on Saturday evening at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

Following a brief meeting with the President, Abubakar revealed that personal and family matters prompted his decision to step down. “There are quite a number of reasons one will do that,” he said. “Some personal family issues, but nothing very serious, actually, and the friendship will continue.”

Abubakar resigned after a routine briefing with the President. “It’s a routine thing, from time to time, to brief Mr. President on situations, on issues, and today is no exception. After the briefing, I tendered my resignation, and Mr. President graciously approved and accepted it.”

“I discussed with Mr. President, he understood very well, and I promised to remain steadfast with issues and the security situations of the country,” Abubakar added, indicating his commitment to continue supporting Nigeria’s security efforts.

Despite his resignation, Abubakar expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for allowing him to serve during the first 15 months of the new administration. He has held the position since 2018.

He acknowledged the support and confidence President Tinubu had shown in his leadership, stating, “The encouragement I got, the confidence he had in my service, and the opportunity to lead the NIA, and this for me is everything.”

Abubakar was first appointed as the DG of the NIA in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who extended his tenure in December 2021.