A group under the auspices of Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria (GOGAN) has insisted all must be done by all and sundry to insulate the Department of State Services (DSS) and its management from what it termed “the larcenous politics of ethnicity, tribalism and religion”.
They also justified the appointment of Mr Yusuf Bichi as the substantive Director-General of the spy agency, stressing that President Muhammadu Buhari did not flout any known extant law as the appointment was within his discretion.
In a briefing with journalists in Abuja, a former Deputy Speaker in Imo State and GOGAN’s National Secretary, Rt. Hon. Ozoemena Donatus punctured various criticism against the appointment, saying that after taking time to analyze the issues raised, they came up short. Donatus said: “the job of the nation’s spy chief is a very sensitive one which should be insulated from the larcenous politics of tribalism, ethnicity and religion.
The dangerous imputation of ethnic, tribal or religious bias in security related decisions portends greater danger to the smooth workings and operations of the security agencies may the stability of the country.
“It is within the discretion of the President to appoint the DG of the DSS and Mr President had discharged this assignment without flouting any known extant law of the land,” .
On Mr Bichi’s suitability for the job, Hon. Donatus said: “Mr Bichi comes on board with a wealth of experience, skills and training that makes the appointment that of a square peg in a square hole.
He is a core secret service operative who rose through the ranks of the DSS and is well acquatinted with all the directorate of the organization as well as the security architecture of the country.”