Yusuf Bichi Magaji: The 9th Director-General of the DSS
Mr. Yusuf Bichi Magaji is a security expert, decorated secret service agent, and distinguished Abusite who is the current Director-General (DG) of the Department State Security Services (DSS). Nigeria’s Domestic Secret Services, an equivalent of America’s FBI.
He is a highly trained and well-respected intelligence officer who is known in the intelligence circle as an upright man and a core Secret Service operative.
Yusuf Magaji Bichi was born on 23rd February 1956 in Hagagawa Qtrs of Bichi Local Government, Kano State. Bichi attended Kano State College of Advanced Studies (1975 – 1977) and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Zaria (1977 – 1980) where he graduated with a Degree in Political Science from the Department of Political Science and International Studies.
He also attended the strategic training at the National Defence College, Abuja, obtaining a certificate with the authorization to use Fellow War College (FWC).
Yusuf Bichi Magaji’s Career
Yusuf Bichi Magaji is a well trained secret service agent who has undergone trainings in intelligence processing analysis, agent handling recruitment and intelligence processing in the UK, as well as strategic training at the National Defence College.
He began his career in the security division of the Cabinet Office in Kano, from where he joined the defunct Nigerian Security Organization (NSO), the precursor of the present DSS.
Yusuf Bichi serves as State Director of Security in Jigawa State (1998 – 1999), Niger State (2000 – 2003), Sokoto State (2003 – 2005), and Abia State (2005 – 2006).
Subsequently, he served as Director in the National Assembly Liaison (2006), Directorate of Security Enforcement (2007 – 2008), Directorate of Operations (2008 – 2009), Directorate of Intelligence (2009 – 2010), State Service Academy, Lagos (2010 – 2013), SSS Research Development Centre, Bauchi (2013 – 2014), Directorate of Inspection (2014 – 2015), Directorate of Administration and Finance (2015 – 2017) and Director-General, Department of State Services (2018 – present).[
Mr. Yusuf Bichi Magaji retired from service after a meritorious career spending 35 years in government service.
He was recalled from retirement and appointed on substantive capacity to replace Matthew Seiyeifa, who was operating on acting capacity after another Abusite, Lawal Daura was sacked by the then Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
Under the leadership of Yusuf Bichi Magaji, the Service has become more professional and less controversial. It has also made modest achievements which include engendering inter-agency collaboration and liaison through the provision of timely intelligence to action agencies.
The agency has also carried out various operations to stem gun violence and armed conflicts across the country. Across the Middle Belt, Kaduna, and parts of Niger-Delta, several suppliers and merchants of arms and ammunition were arrested.
Based on DSS’s initiative with other security agencies, the government set up Operation Whirlstroke to degrade or eliminate criminality. Currently, the Service is a driving force in the operation in such states as Zamfara, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, and Katsina where farmers/herders clashes and cattle rustling have been persistent.
The crisis hasn’t been fully curtailed but substantial gains have been made especially in North Central Nigeria particularly Benue and Plateau States. The DSS’s intelligence procurement programs and counter assault units have brought the menace under substantial control.
After the April 2019 national elections, an election monitoring group known as the International Human Rights Commission, Geneva, Switzerland, honored Bichi, with an award. According to the group, “the award was in recognition of the exemplary performance by the Service and its personnel during the just concluded 2019 general elections.”
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