DG DSS Yusuf Magaji Bichi: reports for work and spells out vision
According to a report by Vanguard,
details have emerged of the intrigues that preceded the emergence of
Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new Director General of the Department
of State Services.
According to several sources close to the presidency, Alhaji Bichi
was a compromise candidate between the preferred candidate of some
powerful presidential aides and the choice of the president who was said
to have preferred a retired military officer to head the nation’s
secret service.
But despite the initial outrage that greeted the appointment of
Bichi as the Director General of the Department of state services, a
cross section of both serving and retired personnel of the service who
spoke with Vanguard variously described him as “competent”, “capable”
and most suitable to return the service to professionalism.
According to various sources that are in the know about the
emergence of the new Director General of the DSS, he was neither in
contention nor was he among the people being considered for appointment
to replace the former Director General, Matthew Seiyefa.
“One powerful presidential aide wanted a serving director from
one of the south south states to take over from the former Acting
Director General. The president was said to have in mind a retired
military personnel. When some members of the presidential aides insisted
on the serving Director from the service, the president reportedly
sought the opinion of Seiyefa who recommended Bichi as a capable officer
to reposition the service and serve the interest of the nation”, a senior security personnel who claimed to be aware of the intrigues leading to the appointment of the spy chief told Vanguard.
Several sources that spoke with Vanguard expressed surprise that
Bichi was appointed because he is considered as one officer that is
“politically naive” and not aligned to any of the several bases in the
villa.
Speaking with Vanguard on the suitability or otherwise of the new
DG, a serving officer of the Service who said he had worked with the new
head described him as a “good officer” that the service needs at this
point in time.
The officer, who does not want his name mentioned because he is still a serving member of the DSS told Vanguard that “professionally
speaking, he is the best appointment for the service. He is not a
political officer and will do his job professionally. We just hope that
he will be able to stand up to politicians when it matters most”.
Also speaking on the new DSS boss, a retired director of the
service and Abuja based security consultant, Mike Ejiofor described him
as a “ competent officer” who has the “capacity and capacity” to deliver
on his new assignment.
“The president has the discretion to appointed whoever he wants
as the Director General of the Service. The most important thing is
whether the person so appointed is qualified and capable. This officer
is competent and capable. He is best placed to reposition the service” he said.
Mr Ejiofor dismissed the fear that being from a particular part of
the country may affect the performance of the new Director General
saying that as a professional, competence and not where one is from is
the guiding principles.
He however said those who have raised concern about him have the right to do so adding that ‘in
a democracy, if you are not satisfied with any government decision, you
use your voters card to vote out the government at the next election’.