A civil society group, Concerned Nigerians, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to the Federal High Court in Abuja over the appointment of Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar as the substantive Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The appointment is being criticised as Abubakar was said to have been forced out of NIA for allegedly failing two promotion exams.
Abubakar was the Arabic and French interpreter to President Buhari.
The originating summons with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/56/2018 was filed by Barrister Michael Ukasare and Arinze Solomon Egbo on behalf of the plaintiff, Deji Adeyanju for Concerned Nigerians.
President Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar (Director General of the National Intelligence Agency) and the Attorney General of the Federation, are to appear as the first, second and third defendants.
The summons was brought under Order 3 Rule 6 and 7 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009.
The summons was brought for the determination of the following:
1) Whether by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, if the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended), the 1st defendant (Buhari) has the power to appoint the 2nd defendant (Abubakar) as director general of the National Intelligence Agency when the director general of the of State Security Services, Lawal Musa Daura, is also from Katsina State.
2) Whether by the provisions of section 2(3) of the National Security Agencies Act, the 2nd defendant (Abubakar) is a fit and proper person to be appointed as director general of the National Intelligence Agency.
The civil society, therefore, sought the following reliefs from the court:
1) A declaration that by the provision of section 14 (3) if the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the first defendant (Buhari) CANNOT appoint the second defendant (Abubakar) who is from Katsina State, as director general of the NIA, when the director general of the State Security Services, Lawal Daura, is also from Katsina State.
2) A declaration that by the provisions of section 2 (3) of the Security Agencies Act, the second defendant (Abubakar) is NOT a fit and proper person to be appointed as director general of NIA.
3) And Order removing the second defendant (Abubakar) as the director general of the NIA.
4) An order of perpetual injunction restraining the first defendant (Buhari) Whether by himself, his officers, his agents, servants, privies or otherwise howsoever from further appointing the second defendant (Abubakar) as the director general of NIA.
5) And such further or other orders as the honorable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this application.
Meanwhile, government critics are accusing Buhari of nepotism, lamenting that almost all heads of the security agencies and departments’ appointees are concentrated in northern Nigeria.
See the list below:
1. Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, Borno
2. Chief of Air Staff Abubakar Sadiq, Bauchi
3. Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura, Katsina
4. Director General of NIA, Rufa’i Abubakar, Katsina
5. Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, Niger
6. Commandant General of Civil Defence Corp, Abdullahi Muhammad, Niger
7. Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammed Babandede, Jigawa
8. Comptroller General of Prison Services, Ja’faru Ahmed, Kebbi
9. Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, Bauchi
10. Minister of Defence, Mansur DanAli, Zamfara
11. Minister of Internal Affairs, AbdulRahman Dambazau, Kano
12. Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, Borno
13. National Security Adviser, Muhammed Monguno, Borno
14. Chief of Defence Intelligence Agency, Muhammad Usman, Kano