Osinbajo Probe Panel Grills NIA DG
On Monday 24th April 2017, the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, appeared before the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee probing allegations of financial impropriety against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, and the discovery of N13.3 billion discovered in Ikoyi Towers by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Oke was suspended and is being investigated over his claim that the huge sum belonged to NIA. The three-man committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 19, following his suspension, was tasked to investigate “how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to 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”.
On the other hand, Lawal is being investigated over the management of Presidential Initiative on Northeast (PINE) contract awards in his capacity as SGF.
He had been alleged to have awarded N220 million tree-cutting contract to his company, Rholavision Engineering Limited, in contravention of public sector rules barring government officials from awarding contracts to companies in which they have an interest.
