Seized N13bn probe: NIA finance officials to appear before Osinbajo panel today

The panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayo Oke, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has dispatched letters of invitation to some NIA officials demanding they appear before it on Monday (today).

The invited persons were also asked to come with some relevant documents, which would be submitted to the panel.

Oke is under probe for the NIA’s role in the seized $43.4m, N23m and £27,000 (N13bn) in the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Lawal, on his part, was suspended in connection with a contract scandal in the Internally Displaced Persons camp in the North-East as alleged by a Senate ad hoc committee

Oke and Lawal were suspended by Buhari on Wednesday last week.

A probe panel, headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, was constituted to investigate allegations against the top government officials.

The committee also has the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Moguno, as members.

Part of the tasks of the committee is to investigate why the NIA kept $43.4m, N23m and £27,000 (N13bn) in the Ikoyi house.

The money was seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission based on a tip-off from a whistle-blower