Whistleblower Exposes Why NIA DG Resigned

Activist and whistleblower Mahdi Shehu has shed light on the circumstances surrounding the recent resignation of Ahmed Abubakar, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Osun Defender reports that Abubakar,  tendered his resignation on Saturday, leaving many to speculate about the reasons behind his sudden departure.

https://x.com/shehu_mahdi/status/1827449202919547165?t=WaoQd3uOa-y7G4D0N29b9g&s=19

The whistle stated on his X handle that Abubakar’s resignation is deeply rooted in a controversial sting operation that dates back to 2017.

He claims that certain northern power brokers, including Sabiu Tunde and the then-Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, orchestrated the operation.

“The target was the NIA’s Lagos office, where large sums of money—$43 million and £34 million—were reportedly seized”, he wrote.

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Mahdi alleges that the operation was designed to create a vacancy at the NIA, paving the way for Abubakar’s appointment as DG.

This move came despite an ongoing court case filed by Ambassador Eke Ayodele, the former DG of the NIA, who was suspended following the raid. In 2023, Ayodele was cleared of any wrongdoing by the court, which ordered his reinstatement as DG—a decision that had yet to be implemented.

He wrote on X: ”In April 2017, in a deliberately designed sting operation to create a vacuum by force and subterfuge at the NIA, initiated by Sabiu Tunde and two other northern cabals, Magu, the then Efcc Chairman using an insider informant from NIA operations unit, was drafted to invade the lagos operational office of the NIA, which he forcefully broke into and removed $43m and £34m.

”$10m was allegedly reported to have been “stolen” out of the “recovery” when it was taken for custody at the CBN by an NIA accounts staff who was silently transferred out. Don’t ask me if the $10m was returned.

”Even before the report of the presidential investigation was submitted and in spite of the existing court case instituted by Ayodele Eke, Buhari was misled into appointing Ahmed Rufai as the New DG NIA.

”As a reward, Tunde Sabiu, who was never a member of the intelligence community, was rewarded with the post of Assistant Director at the NIA while still holding the post of PA to C in C and posted to the villa. To date, he is a staff of the NIA just to give him a soft landing.

”Eke Ayodele, who was suspended in April 2017 by Buhari, pending the outcome of the investigation, went to court to contest his indictment arising from Magu’s raid.

”In 2023, the court cleared Ambassador Eke Ayodele from any wrongdoing and ordered that he be reinstated back to his seat as DG NIA being a statutory tenure appointment with constitutional favour.

”The court order came before the elections, and removing Rufai and reinstating Ayodele may be a spoiler for the APC in the North, particularly aware of the role expected to “be played” by Ahmed Rufai in the 2023 presidential election.

”Even after “declared” winner, Tinubu ” retained” Ahmed Rufai in ” appreciation” to his role but behind the scenes assuring Eke Ayodele of his plans to implement the court order that restored him to his seat.”