Yusuf Magaji Bichi

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.”

Bichi began his career in the Security Division of the Cabinet Office in Kano State from 1981 to 1984, in 1984 he joined the defunct Nigerian Security Organization (NSO), the precursor of the present State Security Service, now renamed Department of State Services, where he rose to the rank of Director. He 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).

Yusuf Magaji Bichi (born 23 February 1956) is the Director-General of the Department of State Services in Nigeria. He was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on 14 September 2018, replacing Matthew Seiyefa.

Bichi was born on 23 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 (1977 - 1980) where he graduated with a Degree in Political Science. He attended strategic training at the National Defence College, Abuja, obtaining a certificate with the authorization to use Fellow War College (FWC).