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EXCLUSIVE: Former Daura’s ally says disgraced SSS boss took bribes, betrayed Buhari
former assistant to the sacked director general of State Security Service, Lawal Daura, has accused his former principal of extensive corruption, and has portrayed him as a man who serially betrayed his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, for money.
The assistant, Abdulwahab Abdulrahman, a retired senior SSS official, said he left the agency because of the scale of corruption and abuse there.
“I didn’t want my children to see news of my eventual arrest on TV,” he told PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Daura, who led Nigeria’s domestic spy agency since 2015, was abruptly fired on Tuesday by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo after he ordered a siege on the National Assembly.
The siege, which many Nigerians have characterized as a coup d’état, startled a nation that has struggled in the past two weeks to keep pace with rapidly unfolding political stunts ahead of next year’s general elections.
The cordon saw gun-wielding masked men blockading the federal parliament building in central Abuja, denying access to lawmakers and legislative staff. It was lifted several hours later, but only after Mr Daura was summoned by Mr Osinbajo and summarily dismissed. The acting president said the exercise did not receive authorisation.
Many Nigerians believe the move was to facilitate the removal of Bukola Saraki as senate president as punishment for his leaving the ruling APC last week.
But while such plot failed, it helped further galvanize public outrage against Mr Daura, a controversial figure who in the past three years managed to create for himself a notorious label as an outlawed official responsible for illegal detention, clampdown on dissent and disobedience of court orders.
Now, his former associate, Mr Abdulrahman, whom some described as Mr Daura’s former “right-hand man”, has spoken out exclusively to PREMIUM TIMES on what he said was Mr Daura’s darker side Nigerians never knew. Mr Abdulrahman served as special assistant to Mr Daura until 2016.
Besides corruption, he said Mr Daura repeatedly betrayed President Buhari.
Messrs Abdulrahman and Daura were members of the Buhari campaign’s security committee in the buildup to 2015 election. The committee was led by the current Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau.
Mr Abdulrahman said he served as the secretary of the 25-member committee.
“I noticed immediately we started work that for Lawal Daura it is simply about the money,” he said. “In one of earlier meetings he suggested that we should request for one billion to start work. Where will Buhari see one billion to give us?”
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the claim. Mr Daura could not also be reached as he remained in detention Wednesday.
Some of his aides told PREMIUM TIMES Mr Abdulrahaman was bitter after being sacked by Mr Daura, and cautioned his claims be treated with restraint. Mr Abdulrahman denied being sacked; he told this newspaper he left of his own volition.
But while several other sources in the security agency confirmed most of the allegations against Mr Daura, they told PREMIUM TIMES both men worked together for years either for good or for bad till they parted ways in 2016.
Still, they said the revelations, especially with Mr Abdulrahman waiving any claim to anonymity, provide a rare opportunity for Nigerians to get a glimpse of the illicit practices at a security agency that should be one of the nation’s most revered, and how corruption and partisanship have stunted the department’s potential.
Before, after 2015 election
Mr Abdulrahman said in the course of their work and as part of the transition team after Mr Buhari won the election, Mr Daura “kept producing fake reports about (Ita) Ekpenyong (his predecessor), but we never knew what he was targeting,” until late.
He said Mr Daura soon developed the habit of going to Mr Buhari’s influential cousin, Mamman Daura, to report Mr Ekpenyong and give details of what the election committee was doing.
That way, he said Lawal Daura warmed his way into Mamman Daura’s heart. He also said despite coming from the same neighbourhood in Katsina state, Mr Buhari never knew Lawal Daura until 2015.
“He was introduced to the president by the late Senator Mustapha Bukar,” he said.
He also said Mr Daura was never a favourite of President Buhari because of his “antecedents”, suggesting he was somehow imposed on him by Mamman Daura and others close to him.
“When he was appointed he kept putting pressure on me and Maikano, the current AO (admin officer) at the presidential villa to come and work with him as SA. He assured me that what I will get under him, I cannot get even as a Minister,” Mr Abdulrahman said.
Mr Maikano could not be reached to comment on the claim.
Mr Abdulrahman said Mr Daura feared the DG job may not be very easy since he had never worked at the headquarters and was not an operational staff.
“He said he wants the two of us to stabilise the service for him,” he quoted Mr Daura as saying. Mr Abdulrahman said he eventually agreed the offer after much pressure.
He claimed as the work commenced, “Daura was receiving money from everyone including the president’s enemies”.
Mr Abdulrahman said when they resumed, they always closed late at work, often at about 2am. “What are we doing was mostly: receiving Ghana must go filled with cash brought by enemies of government to him,” he said somewhat confirming he was part of whatever happened at the time.
“The rate of corruption on that fourth floor was too much and the president doesn’t deserve this,” he said. “He will go and get information on plans for (Senate president) Bukola (Saraki) and then leak it to him,” he said.
Similar allegation emerged Tuesday after Mr Daura’s removal, with many administration supporters accusing him of working for Mr Saraki against the government. On Wednesday, Mr Saraki said claims he compromised Mr Daura in respect of the National Assembly siege constituted an “insult on the intelligence of Nigerians”.
But the two institutions under Messrs. Saraki and Daura clearly enjoyed cooperation in the past. In the heated days of the National Assembly’s standoff with the executive over the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, it was mostly memos from the SSS that the lawmakers referenced as basis for rejecting Mr Magu.
‘Brazen corruption’
At the SSS, Mr Abdulrahman said Mr Daura operated an repressive administration that stamped on staff rights just as it did on Nigerians’. In all, he said the scale of corruption at the agency was shocking.
Such revelations, PREMIUM TIMES learnt, have already sent ripples across the agency and its sister organisations, with senior officials shuddering at the prospect of investigations after Mr Daura’s dismissal.
In the course of his interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Abdulrahman received multiple phone calls apparently from people appealing he should not yet go public. “I’m sorry sir, I will speak,” he told one caller.
Mr Abdulrahman told this newspaper that at some point agents working for Mr Daura stopped going to the bureau de change to carry out transactions on his behalf. Rather, “they invite the secretary of the bureau de change at that Sheraton (Hotel) gate to come to the office late at night with their counting machines, counting dollars”, he said.
“When I had too much I decided to leave and I swore to the directors who wanted me to stay because of their personal interest that Daura will leave office in handcuffs because of what I saw.
“I was preaching to him that he needs to help Mr President because you know you don’t deserve this office and he appointed you, because of that he stopped my pension for two years until I threaten to go to court,” he said.
On Mr Daura’s career history, Mr Abdulrahman said the former DG was sacked from the SSS originally before his reappointment by Mr Buhari because he was caught siphoning diesel from the SSS Academy in Kaduna.
“Before then, he was almost sacked when he was State Director in Lagos. Tinubu, who was governor donated 20 vehicles to aid the work of the service in the state; Fashola, who is Minister now, was the Chief of Staff at the time, Lawal Daura took all the vehicles to Kano and sold them off,” he claimed.
He also said Mr Daura had to be secretly taken away in Edo state because of how he was misusing staff stipends.
“Just like today, how they had to use the back door to ferry him away, don’t you wonder why he was not taken back to the service facility? He wouldn’t have survived it. I have been receiving calls all day from some of our top directors and staff, everyone is in a joyous mood today.
“In fact a director told me that all his life, he never drank beer, but today, he will drink to celebrate how this service is finally saved from destruction,” he said.
This newspaper did not also independently verify those claims.
Arrogance, disrespect to constituted authority
Mr Abdulrahman also said Mr Daura was too arrogant as DG of SSS.
He said he had no respect for the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, whom he should be reporting to. He also said he never had any respect for the vice president, Mr Osinbajo.
“Whenever the Vice President calls for a meeting for 2 o’clock Daura will come by 3 and will not apologies. There was a time they had serious shouting match with Magu over the disrespect shown to the VP and the VP had to ask Magu to keep quiet,” he said.
Asked what the real issue was between Mr Magu and the DG SSS, Mr Abdulrahman said Mr Daura wanted Mr Magu to share information on high profile cases with him
“Magu is a smart officer and he knew Daura wanted to use such information to extract money from people. He told Daura to his face that I can’t report to you, I only report to the president who appointed me,” he said.
Mr Magu could not be reached Wednesday for comments.
The former SSS official recalled an interesting conversation between a former NSA Sambo Dasuki (who is still in SSS captivity despite court orders) and Mr Daura.
“Sambo Dasuki told Daura to be careful with this world,” he said, adding, “’I was one of the most powerful NSA, see me today. If you are not careful, you may replace me in this room one day
Culled from Premium Times
Had FFK Faced Mehdi Hassan, Nigeria Would Have Spoken With Fire
By Mohammed Bello Doka
In politics, timing is everything. In diplomacy, character is everything. And in moments of national importance, leadership must be entrusted to individuals who possess not only experience but courage, intellect and an unshakable commitment to the nation they represent.
It is for this reason that the appointment of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode as Nigeria’s Ambassador to a foreign nation stands out as one of the most consequential diplomatic decisions in recent years.
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, better known in the South as “FFK” and in the North as “Sadauki”, is one of the most brilliant, experienced, accomplished, vocal, respected, educated, profound, intellectual, patriotic, disciplined, well-read, historically literate, versatile, forceful, persuasive, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, charming, eloquent, courageous and resilient men in Nigerian politics and he has paid his dues and proved his worth over the last 35 years in politics and political discourse.
In each role he has played he has excelled and succeeded even when he was in opposition.
His friends value him as a great and loyal defender and his traducers and political adversaries fear and respect him because when he goes to war he is utterly relentless, takes no prisoners and literally spits fire.
How I wish it was him that was interviewed by Mehdi Hassan of Al Jazeera and not the young and inexperienced Daniel Bwala because he would have not only humbled Hassan but also done Nigeria proud.
He played Bwala’s present role in the Presidential Villa 23 years ago as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s spokesman and not only brought the then President’s domestic enemies to their knees but also had a series of very hot exchanges with foreign Government officials like America’s Under-Secreatary of State for Africa Jendaye Fraser and the White House over the Charles Taylor issue and Liberia.
Tinubu decision to appoint him as an Ambassador for our nation was a wise one because he will fight for and protect the interests of Nigeria and the Nigerian community whetever he goes and will never sell his soul or bow to foreign imperialist interests.
His appointment is not about just rewarding loyalty for the key role he played in Tinubu’s presidentiel campaign organisation as Director of New Media and Special Operations in 2023 and the staunch support he has given the President over the last three years but also about putting a square peg in a square hole.
If you want to put Nigeria first Sadauki is the one to do it.
If he runs the Nigerian Mission in the country that he is sent to in the same way he ran the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Aviation when he was Minister to each of them one after the other twenty years ago he will do very well and both our nation and whichever nation he is posted to itself will benefit from his efforts.
History teaches that diplomacy is most effective when nations deploy individuals who possess both intellect and courage.
As the American statesman Henry Kissinger once noted, “Diplomacy is the art of restraining power.”
To do so successfully requires deep historical awareness and strategic clarity—qualities that have long defined Fani-Kayode’s political career.
Sending a politically seasoned voice like FFK to any nation that is a key partner to Nigeria signals that Bola Ahmed Tinubu intends to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic posture with confidence.
Throughout more than three decades in the political arena, Fani-Kayode has remained one of the most resilient and outspoken figures in Nigerian public life despite numerous challenges which would have broken and destroyed lesser men.
Regardless of all that was thrown at him he continues to pull through and come out victorious which is why many refer to him as the “Akanda Eledumare” and the “Ayanfe Oluwa” which mean “the strange one of God” and “the beloved of the Lord”.
There appears to be a divine dimension to his life that makes him unstoppable and irrepressible even though his enemies are legion.
One wonders what sets him apart and makes him so different.
There is no doubt that his education played a part in it and this set him apart from most.
He never went to school in Nigeria but was educated from the age of eight in England starting off at Holmewood House School in Kent, one of the UK’s best and most famous Preparatory schools, after which he attended the famous Harrow School just outside London which is, together with Eton College, an institution that is the exclusive preserve of high society in the UK, one of the two best private schools in that country where only the ruling elite, the rich, the well-to-do, the famous and only a tiny proportion of those in British high society can afford or even qualify to attend.
No less than eight British Prime Ministers, including the great Sir Winston Churchill, and countless British cabinet ministers attended Harrow and so did many leaders, diplomats and top politicians from many foreign countries.
After finishing at Harrow he attended some of the top universities in the world, including London University (SOAS) and Cambridge University (Pembroke College) where he did so well.
As a matter of fact his great grandfather, Rev. Emmanuel Adelabi Kayode, attended Furrough Bay College which at that time was part of Durham University and graduated with an MA (Hons.) in Theology in 1893. His grandfather Justice Adedapo Kayode attended Cambridge University (Selwyn College) where he studied law and graduated in 1922. His father Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode attended Cambridge University (Downing College) where he studied law and graduated in 1943. Sadauki himself graduated in law at Cambridge University (Pembroke College) in 1984 whilst his daughter Folake Fani-Kayode graduated from Durham University in 2009.
No African family has an uninterrupted streak of 116 years of Oxbridge-level university graduates except for the Fani-Kayode’s which is something that both his family and every patriotic Nigerian should be proud of.
It therefore makes perfect sense that a man from such a distinguished pedigree and intimidating lineage and that has such an extraordinary intellectual heritage should represent Nigeria on the international stage.
There is also his role in the debate on Gaza which made him a hero in the eyes of millions of people in the Global South both amongst Christians and Muslims.
He spoke out consistently about what he described as the genocide being committed against the Palestinians and he was prepared to put his life and career on the line for this cause even though most Nigerian leaders and politicians refused to say what he was saying publicly out of fear of the Zionist lobby and the Jewish state.
His sense of patriotism is unquestionable and nothing reflects this better than his series of essays written against Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Opposition Conservative Party and his write up against one Ben Llewelyn-Jones, who at that time was the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, when the former consistently sought to insult and denigrate Nigeria and the Nigerian people and the latter attempted to interfere in our internal affairs by making statements in support of Peter Obi and his Obidients in the 2023 presidential elections.
Sadauki successfully put them both in their place and when American Senator Ted Cruz, President Donald Trump, Congressman Tim Riley and other American politicians began to peddle the false narrative and fake gospel of Christian genocide and persecution in Nigeria Sadauki, a devout Christian himself, rose to the challenge and more than any other Nigerian wrote about the issue in a series of essays pointing out the fact that as many Muslims were being killed as Christians by the terrorists in our country and that Christians were not being persecuted by our Government and are in fact faring better when it comes to positions in the security apparatus and governance under Tinubu than they did in the previous administration.
He also spoke out boldly against President Trump and his administration when they accused the Government of South Africa of indulging in genocide against the white minority population in their country and pointed out the fact that South Africa, like Brazil, was a shining example of a successful multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation that was treating its white minority population with the greatest respect. Few Africans said a word to defend South Africa at the time even though they knew that Trump was wrong but Sadauki did so without thinking twice.
He is clearly a strong Pan-Africanist and a believer in the importance of the African Union, African solidarity, the BRICS coalition and the Global South alliance comprising of China, Russia, South Africa, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and other emerging world powers.
This is commendable and it reflects his courage and disdain for those that display ignorance, disdain and contempt for our nation and people and that seek to denigrate and misrepresent us.
Sadauki is not the type that bows and quivers before Westerners like so many other Nigerian leaders and politicians but rather takes pride in his Nigerian culture, race, heritage and identity and is prepared to defend us and speak for us no matter whose ox is gored and who is involved.
In an increasingly competitive global environment, Nigeria requires diplomats capable not only of negotiation but also of defending national interests with conviction.
If the energy, eloquence and intellectual fire that have defined Fani-Kayode’s political life accompany him to the country to which he has been posted, his tenure may well become one of the most consequential chapters in Nigeria’s modern diplomatic engagements.
I wish him well and I thank God that he is back in the saddle of public office after so many years.
What more could any of us ask of this great and noble son of Nigeria?
This is undoubtedly the quality of personnel and leaders that we need on the international stage.
I hope and pray that in his endeavours and during the course of his work he meets with Mehdi Hassan in a debate and prove to him and the rest of the world that Nigeria still has men that can not only match them but that can also remove their trousers in any verbal encounter. Bwala put us to shame but FFK can redeem us before the eyes of the world.
(Mohammed Bello Doka, the author of this essay, is the publisher of Abuja Network News and can be reached via [email protected])
Sunday Igboho Hails IBD Dende’s Exceptional Generosity and Loyalty
By Adeyemi Obadimu
A prominent Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Igboho, has publicly commended renowned businessman and philanthropist, Ibrahim Egungbohun, popularly known as IBD Dende, for what he described as extraordinary generosity and unwavering support during one of the most challenging periods of his life.
Speaking about his experience following his release from detention in the Benin Republic, Igboho disclosed that IBD Dende reached out to him immediately to inquire about his welfare and next destination. According to him, when he explained that he was planning to travel to Germany and that the cost of flight tickets for himself and his wife amounted to ₦6 million, Dende requested his bank details.
In a remarkable show of goodwill, Igboho revealed that Dende transferred ₦20 million to his account far above the stated travel expenses with the reassurance that the extra funds could assist with other pressing needs.
Igboho further recounted that upon his eventual return to Nigeria, despite ongoing financial restrictions, IBD Dende was the first person he met. At that meeting, the businessman reportedly provided an additional ₦10 million to enable him host visitors and manage immediate responsibilities, particularly as his bank account remains frozen.
The activist also expressed profound gratitude to former Oyo State Governor, Rasheed Ladoja, whom he credited for resolving issues between him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Describing Dende as a man of rare loyalty and compassion, Igboho stated that anyone who harbours ill feelings toward the businessman “is under a curse,” emphasizing the depth of gratitude he holds for the support he received.
The development has sparked conversations across social and political circles, further highlighting IBD Dende’s reputation as a philanthropist and influential figure known for standing by associates in difficult times.
celebrity radar - gossips
BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu Records Africa’s Biggest Wealth Surge, Net Worth Hits $11.2bn
BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu Tops Africa’s Wealth Gains in the 2026 Forbes Rankings as His Fortune Jumps 120% to $11.2 Billion, Rising to 3rd Place; Aliko Dangote Remains No.1
Billionaire Industrialist, Philantropist, and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has emerged as Africa’s biggest wealth gainer in the 2026 Africa’s Richest People ranking published by Forbes, after his net worth rose sharply over the past year.
According to the latest Forbes list, Rabiu’s wealth surged 120 percent to $11.2 billion, representing the largest increase recorded among the continent’s billionaires in the latest ranking. The jump moves Rabiu, who is Nigerian, to third place among Africa’s richest individuals, up from sixth position a year ago.
The rise in Rabiu’s fortune was driven largely by the strong performance of BUA Cement, his flagship publicly listed company, whose shares surged by 135 percent over the past year. The rally significantly outpaced gains in the broader Nigerian Exchange, which has itself recorded strong growth amid improving investor confidence.
Forbes estimates Rabiu’s net worth at $11.2 billion, placing him behind luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert, whose fortune is estimated at $16.1 billion, and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, who retains the top position with an estimated $28.5 billion.
Rabiu’s rise underscores the growing influence of Nigeria’s industrial sector and the expanding footprint of BUA Group, which has built major operations across cement manufacturing, food processing, sugar refining, infrastructure, mining and energy.
The latest Forbes ranking also highlights a broader surge in wealth across Africa’s billionaire class. The continent’s 23 billionaires now hold a combined net worth of $126.7 billion, representing a 21 percent increase from the previous year, as major equity markets rallied and regional currencies stabilised.
Nigeria remains one of the continent’s leading centres of billionaire wealth, accounting for four individuals on the list, including Dangote, Rabiu, telecommunications magnate Mike Adenuga, and energy investor Femi Otedola.
Forbes said the 2026 ranking was calculated using stock prices and exchange rates as of March 1, 2026, with privately held companies valued using comparable industry benchmarks.
Rabiu’s leap in the ranking reflects not only the strong performance of BUA Cement but also the broader momentum of Nigeria’s capital markets and the continued expansion of large scale industrial enterprises across Africa’s largest economy.
Analysts say the development signals growing investor confidence in African manufacturing and infrastructure driven businesses, sectors that are increasingly central to the continent’s economic transformation.
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