The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has threatened to sanction some unidentified former directors of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over what it described as making false claim against the NSA, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Retd).
The office also dismissed reports flying around that the Director-General of the NIA, Amb. Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar, failed promotion exams in the past, and as such President Buhari shouldn’t have appointed him the agency’s boss.
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These were contained in a statement made available last night and signed by the ONSA’s Head of strategic communications, Zakari Usman.
Usman explained that there were some reported speculations by the unnamed former directors that the National Security Adviser had told the National Assembly that he was unaware of the Director General’s appointment in 2018, saying the speculation is false.
He said, ”The attention of the Office of the National Security Adviser has been drawn to recent reports in the social media credited to some unnamed former directors of the National Intelligence Agency over the appointment of the Agency’s Director General.
”The general public and indeed all stakeholders in the Security and Intelligence sector are advised to disregard the unfortunate falsehood being peddled by these shadowy groups.
”Furthermore, groups and individuals who use pseudonyms to issue false claims are cautioned against violating the secrecy upon which the Intelligence Community functions. Appropriate action is being taken to unmask them and bring them to justice.”
He added that the intelligence Community is pleased with the work of the Abubakar since his appointment in 2018, noting that Buhari reserves the exclusive rights to appoint anyone.
According to him, the NSA is equally satisfied with the level of consultations between his office and the Director General in achieving the functions of the National Intelligence Agency.
”To set the record straight, by the provisions of the Instrument establishing the Agency under the National Security Agencies Act 1986 ( Cap 278 LFN), the appointment and tenure of the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency is the exclusive prerogative of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
”The appointment of the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency was made in full compliance with the relevant law. Contrary to these false claims Ambassador Abubakar never failed a promotion exam and has consistently been an outstanding officer,” he added.
