Suspended NIA DG appears before Osinbajo panel

THE suspended Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ayodele Oke, on Monday, appeared before the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the $43 million cash discovered in a flat on Osborne Road, Lagos, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The committee is also looking into the alleged abuse of office by the equally suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, over contract awards under the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE).

Oke was sighted at the Vice President’s wing of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ostensibly to state his case before the committee.

Osinbajo presided over the meeting which had the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, in attendance. The third member is the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami. The panel, it was gathered, commenced its meeting around 1.00 p.m.

Oke is being investigated by the committee over his claim that the money seized by the EFCC in Lagos building belonged to the NIA.

Acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, had, on Friday, appeared before the committee to state the discovery of the commission about the money, the owners and their plan.

Also, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly appeared before the committee on Friday.

In another development, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 95 personnel to beef up security at Minna High Court, as the EFCC set to arraign former governor of Niger State, Dr Babangida Aliyu, today.

Aliyu, who served between 2007 and 2015, would be arraigned for N5 billion scam and abuse of office during his tenure.

Mr Philip Ayuba, state NSCDC commandant, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

Ayuba said the corps had been directed to beef up security in and around the court premises where the former governor would be arraigned.

The measure, according to him, was to avoid breakdown of law and order before and after the court sitting.

As a result of the development, a combined team of police, NSCDC and DSS personnel had commenced general patrol of Minna.

In another development, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Monday, ordered the  temporary seizure of a 12-storey building  located at 27, Marine Road, Apapa, belonging to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator representing Delta North senatorial district, Peter Nwaoboshi.

The court order was sequel to an ex-parte originating summons filed before the court by the EFCC and argued by its counsel, George Chia-yakua, against Senator Nwaoboshi and his two companies; Golden Touch Construction Project Limited and Bilderberg Enterprises Limited.

In urging the court to grant the application, EFCC counsel, Chia-yakua, informed the court that the application was pursuant to Section 44(2)(k) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 28 and 29 of the EFCC (establishment) Act 2004.

The EFCC counsel told the court that the commission received a petition from an anti-corruption group, “Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum,” against the senator and his companies on alleged money laundering.

The EFCC, in an affidavit in support of the ex-parte originating summons filed by E. E. Iheanancho and deposed to by Garuba Yusuf Abubakar, said upon the receipt of the petition, several investigations were made, including enquiries from Code of Conduct Bureau, Abuja; banks, Delta State governor’s office, Delta State Tenders Board, Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos State Ministry of Lands, Federal Inland Revenue Services and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), with a view to tracing movement of funds suspected to be proceeds of Illegal activities, source of funds and the beneficiaries.

The deponent stated that in 2010, the Tenders Board of Delta State awarded a contract to the senator’s second company to purchase new construction equipment for Delta State Direct Labour Agency at the sum of N1.58 billion, but, instead of buying new equipment, the company only imported and supplied used equipment, while the state government paid for new ones.

The deponent further stated that upon investigation, it was revealed that the senator moved the proceeds to various accounts linked to him and his company bided and bought the said 12-storey building formerly known as Guinea House, located at 27, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos with the sum of N805 million, in the name of his first company, Golden Touch Construction Project Limited.

He also said the senator completed and submitted the Code of Conduct Bureau Asset Declaration Form on June 19, 2015, where he stated that he acquired the said Guinea House, Apapa, by being a director to  the second respondent.

The deponent also averred that further investigation revealed that the senator’s Bank Verification Number (BVN) had 20 bank accounts he operated in Nigeria, while his private companies, through another BVN, had 23 bank accounts.

Justice Abdulafiz Anka, after listening to the submission of EFCC counsel, ordered that the 12-storey building be temporary seized by the EFCC pending the outcome of its investigation.