From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, on Monday appeared before the Presidential Investigative Panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
The panel commenced its meeting around 1.pm.
He had also appeared before the panel last week.
The three-man panel also has Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Rtd Major General Babagana Munguno as members.
The panel has invite all relevant officials and private individuals who may be connected to both cases to appear before it.
Oke was also suspended pending the outcome of a full scale investigation he ordered into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by EFCC in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the NIA has made a claim. The investigation is also to enquire 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 that all its (panel) proceedings will be closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings.
The panel will investigate allegations of legal and due process violations made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos. The panel will also obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases. “The panel which is expected to submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline, will conduct it’s work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour”, Akande said. President Buhari had last Wednesday suspended Lawal and ordered an investigation into the 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). His suspension from office will last pending the outcome of the investigations. Global Vision Ltd., owned by the SGF was indicted by the Senate last December for benefiting from 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.