Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu has faced accusations of nepotism since he became president in May 2023. Recent posts on social media accused him of favouring his own ethnic group in Nigeria’s southwest when he filled the top spots at two of the country’s intelligence agencies. However, this is misleading: officials say only one of the two appointees is Yoruba, the same ethnic group to which Tinubu belongs.
“NIA Yoruba. DSS Yoruba. In just one day,” reads an X post shared more than 400 times since August 26, 2024.
The NIA is short for National Intelligence Agency in Nigeria while DSS refers to the Department of State Services. Both form part of Nigeria’s security management and intelligence-gathering structures and report to the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Tinubu, who is Yoruba — one of Nigeria’s major ethnic groups from the southwest of the country —appointed new heads of both agencies on August 26, 2024.
In a statement, Tinubu’s office announced career diplomat Mohammed Mohammed as the NIA’s new director general of the NIA and Tosin Ajayi as his counterpart at the DSS (archived here).
The same claim was also shared on X here and here, and on Facebook here and here.
However, the posts are misleading.
Nupe and Yoruba
Contrary to the claims, Mohammed is Nupe and not Yoruba.
Speaking to AFP Fact Check, Tinubu’s spokesman Tope Ajayi said: “The new NIA DG is Nupe from Kwara state while the DSS DG is Yoruba.”
The Kwara state government in north-central Nigeria congratulated the two men on its website and said the choice of Mohammed — an “indigene of Lafiagi” in Edu, Kwara state — “to lead the NIA opens another beautiful page in the history of the agency” (archived here).
Nupe people live in the northern part of Nigeria. Lafiagi is a Nupe settlement ruled by an Emir — a term used for traditional rulers in northern Nigeria (archived here, here and here).
Meanwhile, the Ogun state government also celebrated the appointment of Tosin Ajayi (no relation to Tinubu’s spokesman) as the new head of the DSS.
“On behalf of the government and the good people of Ogun state, we heartily congratulate one of our illustrious sons … Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, on his appointment as the new director general of the State Security Service (DSS) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement reads (archived here).
Ogun Govt Congratulates New @OfficialDSSNG DG
The @OGSG_Official has congratulated the new Director General of the State Security Service (DSS), Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing him as a round peg in a round hole.
The… pic.twitter.com/5ry8iH7Jbv
— Ogun State Government – OGSG (@OGSG_Official) August 27, 2024
Ogun state is in southwestern Nigeria and most of its inhabitants are Yoruba.
Nepotism accusations
Tinubu was accused of nepotism after he appointed his son-in-law to head up the Federal Housing Authority (archived here).
His approval of the acquisition deal between Nigerian energy firm Oando and Italian oil companies Agip and ENI also raised eyebrows.
Oando’s chief executive officer is Wale Tinubu, the president’s nephew. The deal was completed within eight months compared to similar deals awaiting approval for three years (archived here).
There have also been calls from several parties – including a former legislator – warning Tinubu not to repeat the decisions made by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, in favouring a segment of the population during appointments (archived here).
