President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into the
\nallegations of violations of law and due process made against the
\nSecretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Babachir
\nLawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the
\nNorth East (PINE).<\/p>\n
The President has also directed the suspension of the SGF from office
\npending the outcome of the investigations.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the President has ordered a full scale
\ninvestigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local
\ncurrencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a
\nresidential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the
\nNational Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.<\/p>\n
The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the
\nNIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority
\nthe funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not
\nthere has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining
\ncustody and use of the funds.<\/p>\n
The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of
\nthe NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation.<\/p>\n
A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the
\nFederation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser,
\nheaded by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations.<\/p>\n
The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.<\/p>\n
The most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF’s office, and the most
\nsenior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of
\ninvestigation.
\nBabachir Says He Is Not Aware of his suspension, Calls Journalists 419ers<\/p>\n
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF Babachir Lawal and
\nthe Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador
\nAyo Oke yesterday battled with tears hearing about their suspension on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Both men were seen minutes after the announcement of their suspension at
\nthe Presidential Villa, Abuja.<\/p>\n
While Lawal was seen coming out from the office of Vice President Yemi
\nOsinbajo after a private meeting, Oke was barred from accessing President
\nMuhammadu Buhari\u2019s office. On stepping down from Osinbajo\u2019s office, Lawal
\nshowed surprise seeing a battery of Journalists waiting for him.<\/p>\n
\u201c419ers,\u201d he said to Journalists apparently on a friendly note. While he
\ncontinued walking out, Journalists followed suit.<\/p>\n
Asked for his reaction to his suspension the SGF in a voice laden with
\nemotion said \u201cI am not aware\u201d.<\/p>\n
Reminded that the Presidency had issued a statement, suspending him, Lawal
\nwho had at this time became emotional said: \u201cWho\u2019s presidency? Why is it
\nthat you people are struggling to take my photograph today, something that
\nyou people are not used to doing?<\/p>\n
He waited for a while before his vehicle wheeled in to whisk him away.
\nMinutes later, the two- vehicle convoy of the suspended NIA arrived the
\nVilla.<\/p>\n
Sighting Journalists who were already waiting, the security operatives
\nautomatically devised a means to prevent him from the glare of television
\ncameras.<\/p>\n
Providing human shield, the operatives guarded the DG, seeking an
\nalternative route to Osinbajo\u2019s office through the back door.<\/p>\n
Access not granted, they jumped backed into their vehicles and drove
\ntowards the Presidential forecourt through the Admin Officer\u2019s route.<\/p>\n
For about 2 minutes, they got stuck at the gate with no one attending to
\nthem to open the gate. Later, the vehicles made a U-turn and drove out of
\nthe Villa. Minutes after the vehicles exited, the convoy of the National
\nSecurity Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno wheeled him into the Presidential
\nVilla.<\/p>\n
Hearing that the DG would return to see Osinbajo, Journalists stayed put
\noutside. It took the intervention of the Special Adviser to the President
\non Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina to clear Journalists along the
\ncorridors leading to Osinbajo\u2019s office back to the Press Gallery.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the DG is back at the Villa, heavily guarded and led by
\noperatives to the Vice President\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
The meeting is ongoing at the moment. It will be recalled that President
\nBuhari on Tuesday suspended both men and set up a panel headed by Osinbajo
\nto investigate their respective roles in alleged corruption cases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n