TheNewsGuru

Tag: NIA

  • Suspended NIA DG did not shed tears – Presidency

    Suspended NIA DG did not shed tears – Presidency

    The Presidency has condemned media reports that the suspended Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayo Oke, cried during his visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who spoke on the incident in Abuja on Thursday, described the reports as “unfair and uncharitable.’’

    He stated that witnesses to Oke’s visit to the Vice President on the fateful day and his own personal account clearly indicated that the DG did not cry as widely reported in the social and some traditional media.

    The Presidential media aide, who narrated how the incident happened, said: “the widespread reports that Oke of the National Intelligence Agency had cried are unfair and uncharitable.

    “Witnesses to his visit to the Vice President and his own personal account, said that Oke arrived to a swarm of journalists which he wanted to avoid.

    “He asked his driver to make a quick turn and instead, he headed to the Glass House, the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS).

    “From there, he put a call to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, and requested that he help to clear the journalists so that he can make a quiet entry to the VP’s office and that is what happened.

    “In an SUV with darkened windows, no one could have seen an occupant crying.’’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday met separately with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal and the NIA DG, Ayo Oke, barely an hour after the announcement Lawal’s and Oke’s suspension from office.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the closed-door meeting was in connection with the work of the Presidential Committee set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against the SGF and the DG, NIA.

     

     

  • Photos: Suspended NIA DG, Ayo Oke denied access to VP’s office

    Photos: Suspended NIA DG, Ayo Oke denied access to VP’s office

    Shortly after announcing his suspension from office as the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), by President Muhammadu Buhari, Amb. Ayo Oke was pictured trying to get through to the Vice President’s office but was denied entry by security operatives.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that this was after the just suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Engr. Babachir Lawal also met with the Vice President in his office.

    Oke, who noticed the presence of State House correspondents, however turned back and attempted to pass through Vice President’s exit gate.

    He was prevented from going out through that point by security officials; the security also stopped the DG from passing through the service chief’s gate.

    The NIA boss later left the Presidential Villa without seeing the Vice-President.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari on Wednesday ordered the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Amb. Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of investigation of allegations levelled against them.

    Media and Publicity Special Adviser, Mr Femi Adesina, said the president ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the SGF, Mr David Lawal, in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

    The President also ordered a full-scale investigation into the 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 National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.

    Photos: Suspended NIA DG, Ayo Oke denied access to VP's office

    “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.

    “The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation,’’ the statement added.

  • Wike, NIA battle over ownership of N13bn seized by EFCC

    Controversies surrounding ownership of the N13bn ($43.4m, N23m and £27,000) found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, took a dramatic turn on Friday evening when Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the National Intelligence Agency claimed ownership of the money.

    The National Intelligence Agency on Friday said the money belonged to it.

    A national daily had earlier reported that the money belonged to the NIA. Sources at the agency confirmed to one our correspondents late Friday that the money belonged to the agency and that it had written a formal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari to claim ownership of the money.

    According to the NIA, which is Nigeria’s foreign intelligence service, the money was said to have been approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for covert operations and security projects covering a period of years.

    The money was said to have been released in bits during the tenure of a former NIA director-general.

     

    According to reports from NIA on the day the EFCC men gathered around the house, the NIA reached out to Magu to explain to him that the money was the property of the Federal Government and the place was an NIA safe house. Unfortunately, the EFCC still went ahead to break down the doors.”

    However, governor Wike, described the claim that the cash belonged to the NIA as balderdash, alleged that the immediate past governor of the state and the current Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, kept the money in the apartment.

    As such, the Rivers State governor gave the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to return the money to the state government or be ready to face legal action.

  • NIA admits ownership of seized N13bn, says Jonathan approved it

    NIA admits ownership of seized N13bn, says Jonathan approved it

    The ownership of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218, 000 recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from an Ikoyi apartment in Lagos was unraveled yesterday with the admittance of ownership by the National Intelligence Agency, NIA.

    Recovered Money This revelation which came at a time the ownership of the funds was a subject of speculation, was the outcome of an investigation by an online platform, Premium Times.

    It was stated that the funds were approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan for discreet security projects during the tenure of a former Director General of the agency, Mr. Olaniyi Oladeji.

    The report detailing how the money was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, warehoused in Lagos and uncovered by the EFCC, said the sensitive nature of the projects demanded that the funds be withdrawn and kept in a secret place in the interest of national security.

    The projects the funds were meant to finance were reported to have been spread across the country, while the prime project was planned to be executed in Lagos, a reason the funds were kept in the city.

    The report quoted a source to have stated thus: “The spending on the projects cannot be subjected to the usual expenditure process, and that is why the funds are held in cash. If you like, you can call it illegal projects in the national interest.”

    However, it was said that the projects were only known to some top government officials and the NIA.

    The report, however, said the Director General of NIA, Mr. Ayodele Oke prevailed on EFCC Chairman, Mr.Ibrahim Magu not to carry out the operation when he learnt of it, but the latter disagreed.

    Oke was reported to have rushed to EFCC headquarters in Abuja to advise Magu given that the funds belonged to the Federal Government.

    As of when this was ongoing in Abuja, no fewer than 13 police officers, some soldiers, photographers, and videographers, were said to have forcefully gained entrance into the apartment.

    Peeved by Magu’s insistence on going ahead with the operation, Oke was said to have gone to the National Security Adviser, Alhaji, Babagana Monguno, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to inform them about the development.

    Oke’s trip to the duo was noted to have been informed by his belief that the operation was an embarrassment to the security agency.