President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, suspended the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
Lawal, according to Mr. Adesina, was suspended indefinitely over allegations of financial misconducts in the award of contracts as the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).
“The President, the statement said, “directed the suspension of the SGF from office pending the outcome of the investigations.”
Lawal’s suspension comes almost five months after the Senate called for his sack and prosecution.
Buhari also ordered an investigation into the huge sum of foreign and local currencies recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which the NIA laid claim to.
“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 statement said.
Oke was subsequently suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
A three-person committee has been set up to conduct both investigations.
Led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and comprising the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and National Security Adviser, Mohammed Babagana Monguno, the committee is tasked to submit a 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,” the statement concluded.
