The presidential panel that investigated the
suspended Secretary to the Government of
the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and
the Director-General of the National
Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, headed by
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has asked
the President to sack the duo.
According to Daily Trust, the
recommendation came at the weekend after
the committee concluded its investigations.
Other members of the investigation panel
are; the National Security Adviser, General
Babagana Monguno (retd) and the Attorney-
General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on April
19, suspended Babachir and Oke and set up
the three-man committee to investigate
alleged infractions against both officials
within a period of two weeks.
Babachir was investigated for allegedly
awarding millions of naira contracts to a
company in which he had interest, Global
Vision Limited, under the Presidential
Initiative on the North East (PINE).
A Senate Committee on Humanitarian Crisis
in the North-East, which had earlier found
the suspended SGF culpable of alleged
complicity in a N200 million grass-cutting
contract to clear “invasive plant species” in
Yobe State, had demanded his resignation
and prosecution.
Oke was probed for alleged $43.4 million
operations cash found by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission at apartment
7B in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos. He had
reportedly claimed that the money belonged
to the NIA and was approved by former
President Goodluck Jonathan for some
covert operations.
The presidential panel was mandated to
uncover the circumstances by which the NIA
came into possession of the funds and find
out how and by whose or which authority
the funds were made available to the NIA as
well as to establish whether or not there
was a breach of the law or security
procedure in obtaining custody and use of
the funds.
In accordance with Buhari’s directive, the
most senior permanent secretary in the
Office of the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation, Dr Habibat Lawal and Oke’s
senior deputy, Ambassador Arab Yadam, are
currently acting as SGF and Director-General
of the NIA respectively.
A senior government official, who is close to
the panel, confirmed to our correspondent
that the report of the investigations indicted
both officials.
“The report of the investigations is ready.
The two suspended officials were
recommended for total disengagement and
replacement. It is clearly stated in the report
that they should not be brought back to
their positions. They are to be disengaged
as recommended.
“As promised, the committee gave fair
hearing to all the parties involved. It was a
thorough investigation. You would recall
that the investigation was slightly extended
beyond the two-week period which Mr
President gave the committee,” the source
stated.
