President Muhammad Buhari has once again appointed an unqualified nephew Sabiu ‘Tunde Yusuf as the assistant director the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
Mr. Yusuf who’s third name Tunde seems to confuse him for a Yoruba man has never spoken nor understand Yoruba language but was name after Buhari’s loyal deputy during the millitary era (Tunde Idiagbon)
Mr. Yusuf a young man in his mid 30’s has been said to lack requisite knowledge and administrative for which he’s installed, source revealed that Yusuf who became an influential domestic aid in the presidency in 2018 was a pauper without any reasonable source of wealth untill his admission into the presidency, he is now said to stupendously rich and really influential in the presidency.
Mr. Buhari has declined to make the appointment public to avoid yet another round of public clamour over his bias for northern supremacy in public service. But officials familiar with it have now informed the Gazette and excoriated the president for being unable to recognise the benefits of inclusive national patronage.
‘Special skills’
The Gazette’s sources, who sought anonymity to discuss matters of national security, said Mr. Yusuf, said to be in his mid-30s, has not been regular on the job because of his primary duties at the State House.
“It is whenever he desires that he will be at work,” one of our sources said. “The claim is now that he is on secondment at the Presidential Villa but his career work is now at the NIA“The reason he was granted an office that should take at least 16 years of career buildup is that the president wanted him to be in charge of NIA before he leaves office,” another source said.
Presidency sources said Mr. Yusuf was sent to the NIA on the back of his “special skills” that Mr. Buhari said would “be useful” to the organisation
But the move has now triggered squabbles within the NIA, with officials saying it would affect the knowledge base of future intake
“The NIA is where you are recruited from the bottom, made to undergo important training and then grow through the ranks,” the official said. “Bringing someone like this is not good for the system
“How can you bring a novice to this office when he has no capacity to train others that will be recruited into service from now on?” NIA official said. “This is just a way of further destroying the system by this president
Presidential spokespeople did not return multiple requests seeking comments from the Gazette about Mr. Yusuf’s appointment. NIA director-general Ahmed Abubakar did not return a text message seeking comment
‘Recharge cards expert
Mr. Yusuf, a dreaded confidant of Mr. Buhari’s, has recently been reported as one the richest Nigerians alive, after his stash of unexplained billions became a matter of envy even for Governor Godwin Emefiel
Having undergone his tertiary education at Bayero University Kano, as well as basic computer training at a public institute in Jigawa, Mr. Yusuf who carries out functions as President Buhari’s private secretary has no known corporate experienc
The presidential aide, son of Mr. Buhari’s niece Hajia Halima who passed away in 2018, was famous for selling call cards in his hometown Kaduna before being ferried to the State House in 2018
“He was a recharge cards expert if you want to know about his occupational background,” a presidency official said. “But he has now found himself in stupendous wealth as a top access merchant in the presidency
Chiselled into the camp of President Buhari’s late chief of staff, Abba Kyari, Mr. Yusuf, an erstwhile commoner has continued to exert influence in the seat of power, handling sensitive State House files, sources said.
