President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke over alleged fraud.
A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Presidential spokesman on Monday said Buhari had studied the report of the panel headed by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, which investigated allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir David Lawal, and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.
“The President accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr Lawal, and has appointed Mr Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The appointment takes immediate effect.
“President Buhari also approved the recommendation to terminate the appointment of Ambassador Oke, and has further approved the setting up of a three-member panel to, among other things, look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of the Agency and make appropriate recommendations,” Adesina said.
Mustapha from Adamawa State is a lawyer, management consultant, politician and businessman.
Buhari had in June 2016 appointed him the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority.
The President had on April 19 suspended the two government officials and constituted a three-man committee led by Osinbajo, to investigate them.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu says President Muhammadu Buhari will not stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from its investigation against Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke, who were relieved of their appointments.
Shehu, who stated on Monday in Abuja, said President Buhari had taken the necessary administrative action against the two officials.
The presidential aide said: “”The President has taken the administrative action. All other actions will be taken by relevant government agencies.
““The position of the President, therefore, is that investigative agencies, which have already commenced the investigation of the two officers removed from office, will go on with their work of investigation without any interference or hindrance.’’
According to Shehu, President Buhari is fully conversant with the provisions of the constitution and will not stop the investigation of anyone “because he has no such power under our laws, adding this is a decision of the Supreme Court.
“”The President under our laws can, through the Attorney General enter a nolle prosequi to stop an on-going trial. He may upon conviction, order a pardon.
“”Beyond these, the president cannot order investigation agencies to not investigate anyone and does not intend to do so in this, or any other circumstance.
”Based on his wish and desire for a strict observance of the law, the President expects the EFCC, ICPC and such agencies to proceed with ongoing investigations..
”When and where they have reasonable grounds to charge former or serving officers to court under our laws, they do not require the permission of the President to do so.’’
THECITIZEN recalls that Babachir was placed under investigation over allegations of violations of law and due process made against him in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).
The ex-NIA boss came under probe after Pres. Buhari ordered a full-scale investigation into the discovery of over $43m and other amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had made a claim.
The probe was meant to reveal how the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.
