* Pix source: The Whistler
The President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr David Babachir Lawal.
He also ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).
In the same vein, the President has suspended the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency(NIA) Ayo Oke pending the outcome of the investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies totaling N15 billion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a residential apartment at Osborne towers, Ikoyi, Lagos state.
Their suspension was disclosed in an online statement signed by the Special Adviser (SA) to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.
According to Adesina in the statement, 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,
The investigation is also to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.
As a result, a three-man Committee comprising the Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation(AGF) and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser(NSA) headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the President within 14 days.
In the meantime, the most Senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF’s office, and the most senior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.
