The fate of David Lawal, secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has been hanging in the balance since he was fingered in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on North East, PINE, earlier in the year.
Many Nigerians expected President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend him in view of the allegation an order a probe, but the President didn’t act until now.
Femi Adesina, special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced the suspension of Lawal on Wednesday. Adesina said Lawal was suspended over
allegations of violations of law and due process made against him in the award of contracts under the PINE.
Similarly, President Buhari ordered the suspension of Ayo Oke, the director-general of National Intelligence Agency, NIA. According to Adesina, Oke was suspended in connection with discovery of large 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 NIA has made a claim.
The President ordered that thorough investigations be conducted on the allegations against the two top government officials. “The President therefore set up a three-man committee comprising the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo. The committee has 14 days to submit its reports,” said Adesina.
The President also ordered a full scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the 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. A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations,” the statement by Adesina noted.