… Daura may return
By Our Correspondent
The bid to carry out some reforms at the State Security Service, SSS, by the new Director-General, Matthew Seiyefa, is reportedly getting him into the bad books of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
Feelers from the Presidency have it that Mr Kyari has ordered Mr Seiyefa to reverse certain decisions already taken and as well to desist from carrying out new measures unless otherwise directed by the Presidency to do so.
However, The Point learnt that the SSS Boss resolved that he would rather report to and take directives from the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, under whose office the SSS is structurally placed.
The power tussle is very obvious to the extent that top directors at the SSS and others are now threatening to either fight the battle openly with their principal or quit the service entirely — saying political interference is seriously affecting the agency’s professionalism saying that should not be.
Mr Kyari’s position was reportedly stated in a letter he wrote to Mr Seiyefa on August 30th, 2018, where it was clearly stated the types of administrative decisions the new DG should not make without permission from Kyari.
Also, Mr Kyari said Mr Seiyefa should immediately recall some directors who were recently asked to proceed on terminal leave. Those affected include the directors in Borno, Cross River, Kaduna and Oyo States who were cleared for terminal leave by Mr Seiyefa, ahead of their retirement from service.
Some hitherto redeployed, were also asked to return to their previous posts, a decision Mr Seiyefa perceived as an attempt to undermine his authority, according to sources close to him.
Mr Seiyefa was appointed recently by the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, moments after the dismissal of Mr Daura.
In his first press conference, Seiyefa promised to clean up the mess at the agency immediately after resumption and this much he has been doing with the release of some of those held in detention for flimsy excuses and without trial.
Sources at the SSS also alleged that Kyari is doing this because of an attempt to bring someone else on board as the SSS Boss whom the administration felt would be amenable to its interest ahead of the 2019 elections.
Osinbajo appointed Seiyefa when he was acting president while Buhari was in London on vacation for 10 business days.
But since Mr President returned to the country, there have been strong indications that he was not in support of the summary dismissal of Daura.
