Update1: Buhari suspends SGF, DG NIA

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally broken his silence over the ongoing claims and counter claims of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to the recovered $43billion from the Ikoyi apartment.

The President has also frozen his silence on the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), David Babachir Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) and ordered a full scale investigation.

While the investigation is ongoing, the President has directed the suspension of both officials from office pending the outcome of the investigations.

Both investigations are to be conducted by a three-man Committee comprising the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President.

The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.

According to a statement by Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina, President Buhari has also ordered a full scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.

“The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.

“The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation” the statement read in part.

The NIA, had become embroiled in the controversy surrounding the recovered loot at the Ikoyi apartment laying claim to the $43million loot.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last weekend stormed a luxury apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, where it discovered cash in three currencies stashed in fire-proof safes. During the raid, a total of N13 billion, made up of $43.4million, N23million and £27,000, was found. The monies were reportedly hidden in safe cabinets inside
one of the apartments in the building.

Though details of the operation carried out by the agency was sketchy, some names were immediately touted as owners of the money and linked to the flat including the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and owner of the Osborne Towers, Adamu Muazu; Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, who was recently relieved of her appointment as Managing Director of NNPC (Retail); and a daughter of Tony Anenih, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP. They have all distanced themselves from the allegations.

Meanwhile the controversy took a new turn as the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) was alleged to have immediately laid claims to the recovered loot, stating that the monies were kept for a covert operation. This had raised issues on why the monies were not kept in a safe at the agency’s office which is mainly guarded by armed officers.

While the NIA is said to have briefed the President on why it decided to keep the money out of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) there are also insinuations of a cover up for the real owner of the money.

An Interim Report of The Senate’s Ad-Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the NorthEast, had indicted the SGF of sharp practices in expending the funds meant for alleviating the sufferings of the displaced in North East as well as other sharp practices. According to the report, Lawal allegedly owns one of the companies awarded contracts in the rehabilitation of the North-East.

The most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF’s office, and the most senior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.

 

ELIZABETH ARCHIBONG