By Sunday Oyinloye
Retired Directors of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and other retired staff have described as fake a report carried by Point Blank News suggesting nepotism in certain appointments made by the Director General of NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar
The retirees expressed implicit confidence in the Director General of the Agency
The online platform had reported that a group of retired Directors and senior officers of the service under the aegis of NIA Veterans Association has petitioned the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd) “complaining of nepotism in appointments, favoritism, and acts of incompetence being perpetrated by the Director General of NIA”
The Directors explained that there is nothing like NIA Veterans Association stressing that the publication didn’t emanate from retirees of the service.
In a rejoinder written by the retirees and signed by A. O. Onyekachukwu, a copy of which was made available to Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable, the Directors and other retired staff further disclosed that they have a good relationship with the service contrary to the impression created in the publication.
Read the full Rejoinder below:
EX-DIRECTORS, OTHERS RAISE THE ALARM OVER NEPOTISM IN NIA, PETITION NSA
The attention of Retired Directors of National Intelligence Agency and other Retired Staff has been drawn to the above named petition claimed to have been written by a group of retired directors and senior officers of the Agency under the aegis of “NIA Veterans Association” to the National Security Adviser. The petition, published on the online edition of Point Blank News of 20th May 2021 made allegations of nepotisms in appointments, favouratism and acts of incompetence against the Director General.
The Retired Directors and Officers of the Agency hereby state that
i) Retirees are not aware of any group called “NIA Veterans Association” that exists among them;
ii) The publication did not emanate from Retirees of the Service;
iii) Retired Officers have formal channel of communication with the management even in retirement and as much as possible do not interfere in the running of the Agency;
iv) Retirees have harmonious relationship with the Service. Retired Directors and other Retired Staff of the Agency see the publication as being done in bad faith and dissociate bonafide Retirees from the publication. No serious minded officer serving or retired of an intelligence service will allow issues related to the service be published in a news media except the action is aimed at bringing the Agency into ridicule for selfish reasons. Those involved in such acts should be aware that they are breaching the OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT and liable to prosecution. Retirees have implicit confidence in the Director General of the Agency and strongly feel that the Service should not be distracted from carrying out its duties especially now that the country is faced with major national security issues.
