New NIA DG did not fail exam twice - Presidency insist

- The presidency says lot of half-truths have trailed the announcement of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, as the new director-general for the NIA

- The special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, says the new NIA DG retired from foreign service as deputy director

- Minister orders clampdown on authors of hate speech on social media

The presidency has dismissed reports that the new director-general for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, had retired from the services of NIA as an assistant director, because he failed promotion examinations twice.

The special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Sunday, January 28, said lot of half-truths, misinformation, and outright falsehood have trailed the announcement of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, as the new director-general for the NIA.

Adesina faulted reports that Abubakar was married to a Moroccan, and so cannot hold such sensitive security position.

READ ALSO: Iyabo Obasanjo reacts to father's letter to Buhari

He also dismissed rumours that the new NIA DG was born and bred in Chad, and he holds dual nationality.

“All these have been widely disseminated on the social, and some mainstream media. With the formal assumption of office by Mr Abubakar, it is now necessary to set the facts straight,” the presidential aide said.

The presidency stated that new NIA DG retired from foreign service as deputy director and had won merit award for competence and meritorious service three times during his career.

“He 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, concocted by people who love a fib," Adesina stated.

Meanwhile, the minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has directed the nation’s security agencies to tackle those propagating hate speeches, especially through the social media.

Legit.ng gathered that he said special attention should be given to notable Nigerians while tackling the menace.

According to a statement made available to journalists, Dan-Ali gave the directive at a meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, January 25.

Anytime anybody is against this government, something bad happens to him - on Legit.ng TV:

Source: Legit.ng