President Bola Tinubu has appointed the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Security Studies.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the institute’s Director of Coordination and Liaison, Lilian Omo-Odigwe, which was shared via the DSS’ X handle, Bichi’s appointment was recommended by the current DSS Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi.

The statement was titled ‘President Tinubu appoints Yusuf Bichi Chairman Governing Board of NISS.’

“The Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the appointment of Y. M. Bichi, CFR, FWC, the immediate past Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Lower Usuma Dam, Abuja.

“Bichi’s appointment was approved by President Tinubu based on the recommendation of the current DG-DSS, Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi,” it read partly.

Bichi’s appointment will run for an initial four-year term, starting today, Thursday.

He will succeed A.A. Gadzama as the board’s chairman.

“His appointment is for an initial four-year term, effective 22nd October, 2026, in accordance with Section 4 of the National Institute for Security Studies (Establishment) Act, 2019.

“Bichi, who will succeed A.A. Gadzama, OFR, mni, on the Governing Board, handed over leadership of the DSS to the incumbent Director-General in August 2024,” the statement added.

Bichi started his career in the Security Division of the Kano State Cabinet Office before his transfer of service in 1984.

The statement noted that Bichi’s appointment to head the NISS Board brings “extensive experience in intelligence, security administration, operational leadership and institutional training to the governance of the National Institute”