The presidential panel led by
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, which investigated the suspended Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and the Director-General
of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, has recommended that the
duo be fired.
Others members of the
investigation panel are: the National Security Adviser, General Babagana
Monguno (rtd) and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
President Muhammadu Buhari
suspended Babachir and Oke on April 19.
Buhari then set up the three-man
committee, to investigate alleged infractions against both officials within a
period of two weeks.
The panel investigated
allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the
award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE),
while it probed Oke on the discovery of huge cash by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi,
Lagos, for which NIA laid claim.
A Senate Committee on
Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East, which had earlier found the suspended
SGF culpable of alleged complicity in a N200million grass-cutting contract to
clear “invasive plant species” in Yobe State, had demanded his resignation and prosecution.
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 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.
The panel was scheduled to submit
its report to President Buhari on Monday, May 8, but he left the country May 7
for further medical check-ups in the UK.
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