Tinubu appoints ex-DSS boss Yusuf Bichi to head NISS governing board

President Bola Tinubu has appointed former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, as chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), giving the former intelligence chief a new national security role two years after leaving office.

The appointment takes effect from October 22, 2026, and will run for an initial four years under the National Institute for Security Studies (Establishment) Act, 2019.

Bichi’s appointment followed a recommendation by the incumbent DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, according to a statement issued on Thursday by Lilian Omo-Odigwe, the institute’s Director of Coordination and Liaison.

He will succeed A.A. Gadzama as chairman of the NISS governing board.

The appointment marks Bichi’s return to a national security leadership position after he handed over the DSS to Ajayi in August 2024 following his resignation from the agency.

Bichi was appointed DSS director-general in September 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He led the domestic intelligence agency until Ajayi took over the position in 2024.

Before rising to the agency’s top position, Bichi built his career across different security and administrative roles.

He began his public service career in the Security Division of the Kano State Cabinet Office before his transfer of service in 1984. His subsequent career included responsibilities in intelligence, security administration and operational leadership.

The NISS, located at Lower Usuma Dam in Abuja, serves as a centre for security studies, professional training and research. Its work focuses on developing expertise and strengthening knowledge in security management among relevant personnel and stakeholders.

In announcing the appointment, the institute said Bichi’s experience in intelligence, security administration, operational leadership and institutional training would contribute to the governance of the organisation.

His four-year tenure as board chairman commenced on October 22, in line with the provisions of the 2019 law establishing the institute.