President Buhari Orders Probe, Suspension of SGF & NIA Boss
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday ordered the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal while directing an investigation into allegations against him relating to violations of the law and due process.
Mr Lawal has for many months been embroiled in a scandal arising from the fictitious award of contracts by the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) under his supervision.
PINE was set up to provide relief materials, among other things, to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other survivors of the 7-year-long campaign of terror by islamist sect, Boko Haram.
Notwithstanding huge funds allocated to the agency however, the conditions of the displaced persons had worsened over time while the SGF was accused of awarding a contract to his company to clear grasses at an IDP for a stupendous amount over N200 million.
The Nigerian Senate had in December 2016 passed a resolution for the sack of the SGF by the president and also recommended a probe by anti-graft agencies. President Buhari initially wrote to defend Mr Lawal but after much pressure announced that a probe will be conducted.
A statement issued by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina disclosing the suspension of the SGF also revealed that the director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ayodele Oke had also been suspended.
The NIA was said to have recently claimed ownership of huge sums amounting to about N13 billion discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at No 16, Osborne Road, Ikoyi in Lagos.
The president on Wednesday similarly ordered an investigation “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.”
Adesina said the investigation would also establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.
A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Security Adviser, and headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations involving the suspended SGF and the NIA boss. The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.
In the interim, 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.
Meanwhile, The Nation reports that shortly after the suspension of the SGF, he was seen proceeding into a meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The meeting was held behind closed doors.
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