Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday met with the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu and other security chiefs in the wake of public interest in investigations into the circumstances that led to the N13 billion cash haul in a National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Lagos safe house.
The meeting came as the Senate also yesterday delved into the rumpus over the Osborne cash haul, bidding to summon Mr. Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to furnish more information on circumstances around discovery of the money. The Senate announced yesterday that it would next week through its Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes invite Magu to shed more light on the matter.
However, the possible invitation of former President Goodluck Jonathan before the panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the NIA cash haul, was last night, raising dust with his supporters urging him not to honour it in the same way President Muhammadu Buhari opted not to honour summons to appear before the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel on human rights abuses during military rule.
That suggestion was, however, carpeted by the South-South Reawakening Group which yesterday pleaded with Jonathan not to soil his hard-earned global reputation as a democrat by honouring the invitation. Witnesses await summons from panel It was also gathered yesterday that principal witnesses to be invited before the three man presidential panel investigating the discovery of N13 billion in foreign and local currencies in a National Intelligence Agency, NIA Lagos safe house were yesterday waiting for summons.
It also emerged yesterday that the NIA allegedly collected $289 million in cash from the accounts of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) in February 2015. It was also gathered yesterday that the NIA funds were contained in the hand-over notes from the Jonathan administration, passed over to President Buhari, sources close to the development disclosed yesterday.
Sources in the Presidential Villa disclosed that all three members of the panel, set up under the chairmanship of Vice-President Osinbajo, whose other members include Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) met in the office of the vice-president yesterday. Also at the meeting were the Inspector-General of Police, Idris Abubkar, the Director-General of the Department of State Security, DSS, Lawal Daura, Acting SGF, Dr. Habibat Lawan and the Acting D-G, NIA, Ambassador Arab Yadam amongst others.
Magu who met with the team, however, denied that the meeting had to do with the Osborne cash haul. Magu who was seen coming out from the Vice-President’s office yesterday said his visit was in connection with a meeting of the Assets Recovery Committee. However, we could not confirm if the meeting had anything to do with investigations into the Osborne cash haul and probe into affairs of suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir Lawal. Among those to be invited are the suspended Director-General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, his wife, Mrs.
Folashade Oke, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the NSA, Gen. Monguno who is himself a member of the panel. As at last night, Vanguard checks revealed that none of the principal witnesses had been invited. As at press time last night checks on some of those expected to be invited indicated that invitations were yet to be issued to them by the panel which is expected to round up its assignment in 14 days.
Controversy over Jonathan’s role
Meanwhile claims that President Jonathan would be summoned to appear before the panel to shed light on claims that the money was disbursed to the NIA during his regime was last night raising controversy.
A PDP senator speaking on condition of strict anonymity said he would oppose any move to get Jonathan to the panel on the claim that President Buhari as opposition leader rebuffed several invitations to appear before the Justice Oputa panel on uman rights abuses during the military era.
“If I am Jonathan, I will never before the panel because it is a huge set-up,” the senator said yesterday. “Buhari and his associates refused to appear before Oputa panel and nothing happened,” the senator said yesterday. However, the South-South Reawakening Group yesterday urged the former president to honour any invitation extended to him on the issue.
The group’s coordinator, Comrade Joe Ambakaderio said yesterday that Jonathan might soil his reputation as a statesman by refusing to honour any invitation extended to him. “He should go there and say what he knows, good or bad, he has a reputation as a democrat and should not soil it with any such anti-democratic tendencies,” he said.
Jonathan was said to have approved the funds sometime in 2013 after the agency then under another management asked for the funds. Intelligence sources told us yesterday, that besides the NIA, other security agencies were also provided with funds by the Jonathan administration at about the same time the NIA got its money.
Yesterday, The Cable, an online news portal reported that the NIA received $289,202,382 in cash from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) in February 2015. The money was collected after the elections were postponed. The online news portal reported that the funds were approved for NIA’s “covert operations” by President Jonathan and subsequently withdrawn in cash from NAPIMS’ account at CBN.
It could not as at last night be confirmed if the Osborne cash was part of the amount allegedly obtained from NAPIMS. While NIA sources claim that The Presidency was briefed on the cash, other sources have disputed the claim. It was believed that they were for the investigation into the allegations of corruption against Lawal and Oke.
(Vanguard)
