Former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Musa Daura, has revealed that he still misses the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, recalling the personal risks he took while serving under the former Nigerian leader.
Daura made the disclosure on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he reflected on his relationship with Buhari, his years in the intelligence service, his political experience and the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.
“I do miss Muhammadu Buhari. I took bullets for him,” Daura said, highlighting what he described as the level of personal risk he encountered while serving as the DSS Director-General under Buhari.
The former intelligence chief, who served as head of the domestic intelligence agency during Buhari’s administration, also criticised individuals he described as sycophants who surrounded the late president.
According to Daura, some of those who enjoyed Buhari’s confidence ultimately betrayed it and exploited the administration for their own interests.
“There were so many sycophants around Buhari; they betrayed the trust he gave them and took advantage of that government,” he said.
Daura’s comments offered a striking assessment of the political environment around Buhari, suggesting that while he retained strong personal affection for the late president, he remained critical of some individuals who operated within his administration.
Buhari served as Nigeria’s president between 2015 and 2023 before his death in July 2025.
Reflecting on his relationship with the former president, Daura’s statement that he “took bullets” for Buhari underlined the personal loyalty and risks he said characterised his years of service.
The former DSS boss also spoke about his relationship with prominent Nigerian political figures and his experience in the country’s political space as preparations intensify for the 2027 general election.
Daura is the running mate to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate of the APM in the 2027 presidential race.
The former intelligence chief said his extensive experience in government and politics had given him a close understanding of the country’s political landscape and many of the individuals currently playing prominent roles in national politics.
His comments about Buhari have particularly attracted attention because of the former president’s death and Daura’s description of the personal sacrifices he claimed to have made while serving him.
At the same time, his criticism of unnamed sycophants has revived questions about the influence of individuals around Buhari during his administration and whether some people in positions of authority took advantage of the trust placed in them.
Daura’s remarks therefore combine a deeply personal remembrance of his former principal with a blunt assessment of the political figures and circumstances surrounding Buhari’s administration, as the APM and other political parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.