From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

‎The suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, yesterday, appeared before the Presidential Investigative Panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and he was grilled for eight hours.

The security chief’s appearence before the panel was the second time in less than seven days.

The panel commenced meeting around 1.pm  and went on till 9.pm, interrogating Oke,  when this  report was filed.

Oke is facing the panel over the discovery of about N15 billion in an apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which the NIA laid claims to.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) carried out the operation.

The panel, apart from Osinbajo, also has Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami as well as the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno, as members.

The panel had invited all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases to appear before it.

Sources said during his appearance yesterday, Oke was asked all he knew about the recovered money and the projects the NIA was supposed to be doing with it.

After the question and answer session, Oke reportedly tendered documents to back up his claims.

He was said to have submitted a written statement, approval latter by former President Goodluck Jonathan, for the funds, and his report to the NSA on assumption of office of the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

Oke was suspended last week by President Muhammadu Buhari pending the outcome of a full scale investigation.

The panel will also inquire 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, 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.

Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, at the weekend, said the panel’s proceedings will be closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings.

The panel will also investigate allegations of legal and due process violations made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.

“The panel, which is expected to submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline, will conduct its work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour,” Akande said.

Global Vision Ltd., owned by the SGF, was indicted by the Senate last December for benefiting from alleged inflated and phantom contracts – or ones not executed at all – awarded by the Presidential Initiative for the North East, PINE.

Lawal’s Global Vision Ltd. got over N200 million contract to clear grass in Yobe State Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, according to the Senate finding in a probe.