Strong indications have emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari is about to wield the big stick against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The President, who is said to be under pressure to give soft landing to the duo, is said to have resisted pressure from interested parties( the cabal inclusive), who are reportedly drumming into the president’s ears about the contributions of Lawal and the need to be circumspect as 2019 draws near.
Multiple presidency sources also told our correspondent that the President, who is not ready to spare anyone no matter how highly placed in his anti-corruption drive, is studying the recommendations of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led panel with a view to taking his decisions and punishing errant public officials accordingly.
While the issue of Lawal remains a serious matter on decisive action on war against corruption, the fate of Oke appears to be sealed with the findings of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which swooped into the Osborne Towers, which originally belonged to Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu and recovered humongous N13billion cash in a flat said to belong to the wife of the suspended NIA DG, Folashade.
Lawal had been suspended in connection with his indictment over contract fraud by the Senate’s ad hoc committee on monitoring the humanitarian crisis in the North – Eastern part of the country.
The Osinbajo-led panel, constituted by Buhari to investigate them had two weeks ago, submitted two reports to the President. But, another top source from the presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said; “The President has shunned all entreaties from the cabal to give the duo of Lawal and Oke a soft landing.
“I can tell you without fear or favour that the President will act on the detailed recommendations in the interest of the Nigerian people.
” As a matter of fact, certain vested interests are currently jittery, because the Osinbajo reports have recommended far reaching actions against Lawal and Oke and other public and private officials.
” Of course, more heads will roll, as the President is keeping his decisions against Lawal, Oke and others to his chest; and I can assure you that he is ready to punish everyone that is indicted in the matter.
“And to show the seriousness of the issue, the receipt of the report from Osinbajo was the first official action of the President since he returned from London; and definitely, certain consequences are about to follow.
Lawal and Oke and others will shortly know their fates as there is no hiding place for errant public officials in the matter.” The Daily Times recalls that the EFCC had sometimes in April 2017, urged Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court to forfeit the staggering N13bn cash to the Federal Government since no one has come forward to lay claim to it.
The judge, while ordering a temporary forfeiture of the money on April 13, directed EFCC to advertise the order in a newspaper so that interested parties on the recovered money can claim it within 14 days. EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, said no one showed up in court to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited.
The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) had reportedly claimed ownership of the money, but the agency did not file any application to that effect before the court.
The EFCC lawyer told the court that, “the circumstances leading to the discovery of the huge sums stockpiled in Flat 7B, Osborne Towers, leaves no one in doubt that the act was pursuant to an unlawful activity.” Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in North-East, Senator Shehu Sani, has insisted that Buhari must do the needful by formally sacking and prosecuting all those indicted by the report.
Speaking with the Daily Times over the issue yesterday, Senator Sani said that if President Buhari fails to punish and prosecute Lawal and other errant officials, it would send a message that his government is not cowed by the ” Hyenas and the Jackals;” the development will signify the end of war against corruption and its attendant consequences on his government.
He said, ” The President should do the needful by formally sacking all those indicted. This is because our report presented a true picture of the situation.”
The Daily Times recalls that the Senate Committee report headed by Senator Sani, had indicted Lawal, following his alleged involvement in awarding a N200million contract for the clearing of evasive grass at IDP camp in Yobe state to a company in which he has interest.
Sani had also threatened that the Senate will publish documents incriminating Lawal, if the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo-led panel failed to make the investigation open.
