‘$50m probe: NIA officials to appear before panel today’

by Azeez Adeniyi

The panel led by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo saddled with the responsibility of investigating the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayo Oke, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal has demanded that some NIA officials appear before it today.

Lawal is being investigated for alleged N200m contract fraud in the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) programme.

Oke, on the other hand is under probe for $50m discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an apartment in Lagos, which his agency has claimed ownership of.

[Read Also: OSINBAJO-LED PANEL TO PROBE SGF, NIA DG BEHIND CLOSED DOORS]

It was learnt that the invited officials were directed to bring along relevant documents, for submission to the panel.

A source said, “We have invited some officials of the NIA to come and explain to us why such a huge amount of money should be kept outside a financial institution.

“Some of those invited are from the finance department. The panel hopes to understand the workings of the NIA and how it spends cash relating to projects and security matters.

[Read Also: OSINBAJO-LED PANEL WRITES SUSPENDED SGF, NIA DG, DEMANDS SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS]

“The invited persons will also explain what the money was spent on and what sort of security projects the NIA had done which required such a sum of money.”

Oke had earlier told the panel that the funds which was part of $289m was from the National Petroleum Investment Management Service in 2015, on the order of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

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