Presidency flays media reports on new NIA boss

The Presidency has frowned at media reports criticising the appointment of the new Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar

A statement issued, yesterday, in Abuja by Mr. Abiodun Oladunjoye, Deputy Director (Information), Media Unit of the State House, quoted Malam Garba Shehu, a Presidential Spokesman as flaying the negative reports.

According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Shehu expressed the concern during a send-off for the newly-appointed director-general of the NIA.

Shehu, who is also the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, said: “Ahmed Rufai Abubakar is a perfect fit and most qualified for the job. He has occupied various top public offices in the agency in the course of which he received several awards. He left voluntarily to go to the United Nations as a Director.

“When he retired, he was appointed as a Senior Adviser in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) regional coalition of countries for the fight against Boko Haram and other trans-border security threats in the region. There is no doubt at all as to Mr. Abubakar’s qualifications for the job and that is what is most important.”

The Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, who also spoke at the event, described the erstwhile aide on international relations to the President as “a patriot, intelligent and consummate gentleman.”Ahmed Rufai was until his appointment, a Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on Foreign Affairs/International Relations, in the office of the Chief of Staff.