The Presidency has debunked claims that the newly-appointed Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Rufai Abubakar, is from Chad.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina made the clarification in a Sunday statement.
Adesina described as false claims that Abubakar had retired from the services of NIA as an Assistant Director, because he failed promotion examinations twice; that he is married to a Moroccan, and so cannot hold such sensitive security position; and that he was born and bred in Chad, and holds dual nationality.
Adriana equally said Buhari appointed Abubakar to held the agency after working closely with him for two years.
The presidential aide said, “The new NIA DG retired from Foreign Service as Deputy Director (not Assistant Director) and three times during his career, had won Merit Award for competence and meritorious service. Failing promotion examination can only exist in the fecund minds of fiction writers.
“His last position before the new appointment was as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs / International Affairs where again he quietly proved himself.
“Abubakar’s parents hailed from Katsina State, and had settled in Chad at a point in their lifetime.
“The new DG did his primary school in Ndjamena (then Fort-Lamy), but returned to Nigeria for his secondary and University education. He never at any time held Chadian nationality.
“Mr. Abubakar’s only wife hails from Katsina State, indeed, from the same community as the husband. The story of being married to a Moroccan can only be tale by moonlight .. ”