Concerned Nigerians Drag Buhari to Court, Want NIA DG Sacked


Controversies have continued to trail the appointment of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar as the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA as Deji Adeyanju, acting for Concerned Nigerians, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, Abubakar and Attorney General of the Federation to court seeking for an order among others to remove the NIA DG.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja registered as FHC/ABJ/CS/56/2018 dated January 19, 2018 through originating summons brought under Order 3 Rule 6 and 7 of the federal High Court Civil procedure rules seeks the defendants to appear in court to defend their actions.

The process raised two questions for determination which are: “Whether by the provisions  of section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended) the !st Defendant (President Buhari) can appoint  the 2nd Defendant who is from Katsina State as Director-General  of the National Intelligence Agency when the Director General, State Security Services, Lawal Musa  Daura is also from Katsina State.

“Whether  by the provision of section 2(3) of the National Security  Agencies Act, the second Defendant (Abubakar) is a fit and proper person to be appointed as Director General of the National Intelligence Agency”.

Adeyanju further prayed for two declarative reliefs and two orders from the court. He sought for “A declaration  that by the provisions of section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the 1st Defendant (Buhari) cannot appoint the second Defendant (Abubakar) who is from Katsina State, as Director General of the National Intelligence Agency when the Director General of the State Security Services, Lawal Musa Daura is also from Katsina State.

“A declaration that by the provisions of section 2(3) of the National Security Agencies  Act, the 2nd Defendant is not a fit and proper person  to be appointed as Director General of the National Intelligence agency”.

Adeyanju prayed for an order of court to remove Abubakar as the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency in addition to an order for a perpetual injuction restraining Buhari whether by himself, his office, agents, servants or privies or otherwise  howsoever from further appointing  Abubakar as the Director Geberal of the NIA and further such orders as the court may deem fit in the circumstance.

There had been disenchantment over the appointment of Abubakar who some alleged did not pass some promotional examinations and therefore was not a proper and fit person to hold such an exalted office.

Others also kicked against the appointment, decrying it as clannishness pushed too far.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing on the suit.