In a surprise move, the Director General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, has tendered his resignation to President Bola Tinubu. Abubakar submitted his resignation letter during a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Saturday.

Addressing journalists at the State House after the meeting, Abubakar explained that his decision to resign was due to personal and family issues. “It’s a routine thing, from time to time, to brief Mr. President on situations, on issues, and today is no exception. After the briefing, I tendered my resignation, and Mr. President graciously approved and accepted the resignation,” he said.

Abubakar expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for allowing him to serve for the first 15 months of the new administration. “I thanked him for allowing me to serve Nigeria under his transformational leadership for an extended period of 15 months, which is very rare,” he added.

The former NIA boss downplayed the reasons for his resignation, stating that they were not serious. “There are quite a number of reasons one will do that. Some personal family issues, but nothing very serious, actually, and the friendship will continue,” he said.

Abubakar, a 71-year-old retired career foreign service officer, was first appointed DG of the NIA in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He had occupied the office for over five years before his resignation.

In his parting remarks, Abubakar assured President Tinubu that he would remain steadfast in his commitment to Nigeria’s security situations. “I discussed with Mr. President, he understood very well, and I promised to remain steadfast with issues and the security situations of the country,” he said.

Abubakar’s resignation marks the end of an era at the NIA, and his departure will be closely watched by security experts and stakeholders. His legacy at the agency will be remembered for his dedication and service to Nigeria’s intelligence community.