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Tinubu Appoints Ex-DSS Boss Yusuf Bichi as NISS Governing Board Chairman

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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), Abuja.

The appointment was announced on Thursday, October 22, 2026, by the institute’s Director of Coordination and Liaison, Lilian Omo-Odigwe.

According to the announcement, Tinubu approved the appointment following a recommendation by the incumbent DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi.

Bichi’s appointment takes effect from October 22, 2026, for an initial four-year term in accordance with Section 4 of the National Institute for Security Studies (Establishment) Act, 2019.

He succeeds former DSS chief A.A. Gadzama as chairman of the institute’s governing board.

The NISS said Bichi’s experience in intelligence, security administration, operational leadership and institutional training would contribute to the institute’s strategic direction and governance.

The institute is responsible for strategic security training, research and capacity development for personnel within Nigeria’s security sector and allied institutions.

Bichi previously served as Director-General of the DSS from September 2018 until August 2024, when he left the position and was succeeded by Adeola Ajayi.

During his career, he held several positions within the intelligence agency, including State Director of Security in Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto and Abia states. He also served in different directorates at the DSS national headquarters and headed the State Services Academy in Lagos.

Before joining the DSS, Bichi began his career in the Security Division of the Kano State Cabinet Office and transferred his service in 1984. He later received specialised training in intelligence processing, analysis and security administration.

His appointment comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security institutions amid persistent challenges, including kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violent crime.

As chairman of the NISS Governing Board, Bichi is expected to provide oversight on the institute’s strategic direction and contribute to strengthening professional training and institutional capacity within the country’s security sector.

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NACC Introduces Nigerian Entrepreneurs to US EB-5 Investment Programme

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The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has introduced Nigerian entrepreneurs, business executives and investors to an investment programme that offers eligible foreign nationals a pathway to permanent residency in the United States.

The chamber organised an executive roundtable in Lagos on October 22, 2026, to explain the requirements and opportunities under the US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme. The engagement was themed “Exploring the U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Programme: A Strategic Pathway to U.S. Permanent Residency and Global Mobility.”

According to the chamber, the session was designed to help participants understand how qualifying investments can provide a route to US permanent residency, alongside opportunities for international business expansion.

The EB-5 programme allows eligible foreign investors to apply for permanent residency by making qualifying investments that meet requirements established by US immigration authorities. These include conditions relating to job creation and other applicable investment criteria.

The event was hosted by NACC National President, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, while Moussa Ndiaye, Vice President of Business Development and Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at U.S. Immigration Fund, spoke on the programme and how prospective applicants could navigate its requirements.

Grace Adeyemo, chairperson of the chamber’s Trade and Investment Committee, also participated in the discussion. The roundtable was sponsored by U.S. Immigration Fund and brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and prospective investors interested in learning about investment-linked immigration options.

The NACC said the initiative formed part of its broader efforts to promote investment education, encourage international business engagement and strengthen economic relations between Nigeria and the United States.

The chamber added that it would continue to provide platforms for business networking, investment facilitation and bilateral trade cooperation.

However, participation in the programme does not guarantee permanent residency. Prospective applicants must meet the relevant investment, job-creation and immigration requirements set by US authorities.

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Kano NDC Threatens to Sue INEC Over Gwarzo’s 2027 Candidacy

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The Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has threatened to take legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from the list of candidates for the 2027 election.

The party’s state chairman, Husseini Mairiga, said the NDC would approach the court if the electoral commission failed to address its complaint concerning Gwarzo’s omission from the final list.

Speaking in a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP, Mairiga disclosed that the party had yet to receive an official response from INEC following the expiration of the October 24 deadline for submitting complaints over excluded candidates.

He said he had contacted party leaders at the national level but had received no update on the matter. Mairiga added that he planned to visit Abuja on Monday to seek clarification from the commission and determine the next course of action.

The chairman maintained that the party would not abandon its efforts to secure Gwarzo’s inclusion on the list.

“If INEC does not give us any update, we are going to court. We cannot just leave it like that,” he said.

The NDC had earlier submitted a complaint through its national leadership after INEC directed political parties affected by the omission of their candidates to report their grievances before the October 24 deadline.

Mairiga insisted that Gwarzo was a duly registered member of the party and maintained that a review of the relevant membership records would establish his eligibility to contest the governorship election.

The dispute follows INEC’s publication of its final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship elections, which also excluded some candidates from other political parties.

Among those affected are the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states, Isa Ali Pantami and Oladipupo Adebutu, respectively. The omissions have prompted complaints from the affected parties and threats of legal action.

INEC has previously cited compliance with statutory requirements governing political party membership registers and candidate nominations as a factor in the exclusion of some candidates. The commission’s position is central to the dispute, as affected parties seek clarification on the reasons their candidates were left off the list.

The NDC’s planned legal action will depend on the outcome of its engagement with INEC and the available legal procedures for challenging the exclusion.

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Atiku Slams Tinubu Over Security for Campaign Billboards in Kaduna

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Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over reports that security personnel have been deployed to protect his campaign billboards in Kaduna State, urging the Federal Government to prioritise the safety of citizens amid persistent insecurity.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks on Friday in a social media post reacting to reports that security operatives were guarding Tinubu’s campaign posters and billboards ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off scheduled for Saturday, October 24, in Kaduna.

The former vice-president questioned why campaign materials required security protection while communities across the country continued to face threats from bandits, terrorists and kidnappers.

“Bola, you claim Nigerians love you, yet your billboards in Kaduna require security guards,” Atiku wrote, arguing that the protection given to the posters contrasted with the insecurity experienced by many Nigerians.

He added that the situation reflected what he described as misplaced priorities in the Tinubu administration, calling on the President to demonstrate the same urgency in protecting citizens as was being applied to safeguarding his campaign materials.

Reports indicated that personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTLEA), alongside other security operatives, were assigned to protect the billboards at strategic locations in Kaduna metropolis.

A security operative was quoted as saying that the assignment was intended to prevent vandalism, particularly at night, before the planned campaign rally.

The development comes ahead of the APC’s campaign launch in Kaduna, where Tinubu is expected to join party leaders and supporters as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s comments have brought renewed attention to the issue of public security and the deployment of security personnel during political activities. The Presidency’s response to his latest criticism was not included in the reports reviewed.

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