Members of the Presidential Investigative Committee probing the recovery of $43.4million at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos sat yesterday for more than 11 hours.
They examined documents and interrogated some officials at the marathon session.
Grilled were the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke, and some top officials of the agency.
One of the highlights of the session was when the suspended NIA DG told the panel that he wrote a memo to the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the custody of the $43.4million for covert operations.
A source said the DG maintained his stand that he informed the NSA, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, who is a member of the committee, about the money.
Oke was said to have told the committee about the covert operations and projects executed by the agency.
Responding to a question, the source, who pleaded not to be named, added: “Oke gave a spirited defence of his career and said there was no ill-motive behind the cash.”
“At the end of it all, Oke was heard saying ‘I did my best before the committee. I have left the rest to God.”
But there were indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have deferred further action on the interrogation of some suspects for the Osinbajo Committee to conclude its assignment.
The committee, which began sitting at about 10am, had not called it a day as at 9.37pm.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “What the committee did was to sieve through heaps of documents submitted by the EFCC and the NIA on the $43.4million.
“Some of the documents include findings at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on some companies engaged by the intelligence agency.
“After analysing these documents, the committee started interacting with some top officials of NIA. Thereafter at about 5.40pm, the interaction with Oke then started.
“Oke took longer time because he brought the list of projects being executed, the designs, contract papers and mode of payment.”
A multinational company is said to be handling most NIA projects.
The committee decided to work round the clock to meet its two weeks deadline, the source said, adding: “The members actually started sitting at about 10am and the only time they had respite was each time the National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, went to observe Islamic prayers.
On why the EFCC has deferred the interrogation of some suspects, the source said: “Since a panel is in place, the EFCC has stayed action on the invitation of some suspects to avoid duplication of efforts.
“The recommendation of the panel will determine the next step by the anti-graft commission.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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So the multinational company and others that handled the projects were the owners of the money or the ones that paid NIA instead of NIA being the one to pay them? Or how did they get the money and why was such a huge amount of money not kept in the account of NIA? As much as am concerned and many other Nigerians, nothing has been said. What we want to know is how did the money come to NIA and not the documents for the projects executed and paid for? Except they mean that the money would have been more than that and want to know why it is less than what it should be. And a member of the committee fingered to have been writing concerning the money earlier who did not do anything, should be removed from the committee and be investigated. If found to have been written as alleged, he too, should striped of his appointment and be made to face the law. For all I know, this money will expose many things and many people. Let the committee carry out their fact finding enquiries in an open so that the media will be part and parcel of the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteWhich media? Is it the disillusioned, political media we have nowadays? I beg jare.
DeleteIt is highly disheartening to be hearing that this huge sums of money are staying idle at the expense of jobless Nigerians.Leaders,pls,pls,pls have feelings for us.It is not good to be wicked like this.
ReplyDeleteNigeria politicians....no peace for u men for all the suffering u lead this whole country to.no peace for the wicked because a ruler who lack understanding is a great oppressor.
ReplyDelete