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updated 10:20 AM UTC, Dec 13, 2023

Nigeria: SGF, Intelligence Chief Suspended

Unic Press UK: Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended two top government officials, the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria, David Babachir Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.

Their suspension was announced today in a press release by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

“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 Babachir Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

“The President has also directed the suspension of the SGF from office pending the outcome of the investigations.

“In a related development, the President has 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.

“A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations.

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

“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.” (Femi Adesina: 19th April 2017)


Ayo Oke

The National Intelligence Agency, NIA, hitherto led by Ayo Oke had claimed ownership of the monies [$43,449,947, ₦23,218,000 and £27,800] that were discovered by the EFCC in a nine-floor building [comprising of 19 apartments and two penthouses] situated at 16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The building belongs to a former Peoples’ Democratic Party chairman, Ahmed Muazu.

The discovery of this volume of monies in a private apartment, obviously ridiculed the Nigerian government, as it is unimaginable that this amount of cash had been warehoused in a private apartment by a government official.

David Babachir Lawal

On Wednesday, the 14th December 2016, the Nigerian Senate asked the hitherto Secretary to Government, David Babachir Lawal, to resign his position over gross abuse of office, contract inflation and misappropriation of N127 billion earmarked for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

The suspension of Lawal seems to imply that a prima facie case has been established against him.

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