Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director-General of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA), has resigned, citing personal and family reasons.

His resignation was submitted to President Bola Tinubu after a routine briefing on Saturday, marking a significant departure in Nigeria’s security leadership.

Appointed as NIA DG in 2018, Abubakar served under two administrations. He clarified that his resignation was not due to any major concerns, stating, “There are quite a number of reasons one will do that, some personal family issues, but nothing very serious.” Abubakar reassured that he would maintain a good relationship with President Tinubu and stay involved in Nigeria’s security matters.

Abubakar expressed his gratitude for the chance to serve under President Tinubu’s “transformational leadership” and acknowledged the distinctiveness of serving two consecutive presidents. Throughout his six-year tenure, he focused on mentoring younger officers to prepare them for future leadership roles within the NIA.

“We have a lot of many officers who can do this job and do it excellently well,” he stated, expressing confidence in the agency’s future leadership.

While details of President Tinubu’s response to the resignation were not disclosed, Abubakar hinted that further information might come from the National Security Adviser or the President himself.

Reflecting on his service, Abubakar expressed appreciation for the support and confidence shown by President Tinubu, saying, “I’m very, very grateful for the opportunity that the President gave me, actually to serve the country and his leadership, the encouragement I got, the confidence he had in me and in my service.”