Ikoyi Billions/PINE Contract: Buhari Sacks Lawal, Oke; Appoints Mustapha as New SGF

Several months after submission of the Vice President Osinbajo’s findings, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday sacked the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Babachir Lawal and suspended Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Mr. Ayo Oke.

A statement by Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to Buhari said the decision to fire the duo, who have been on suspension since April 2017, came after a careful study of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s committee report by President Buhari.

Adesina said “the President accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr. Lawal and has appointed Mr. Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The Presidential spokesman said Mustapha’s “appointment takes immediate effect”.

On the suspended DG NIA, Adesina said” President Buhari also approved the recommendation to terminate the appointment of Ambassador Oke, and has further approved the setting up of a three-member panel to, among other things, look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of the Agency and make appropriate recommendations”.

Recall that Oke told the Osinbajo panel that the NIA received the sum of $289, 202. 382 on the orders of former President Goodluck Jonathan in February 2015.

His suspension followed the discovery of large amounts of local and foreign currencies said to have been kept at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, by the EFCC which was later claimed by the NIA.

Ex-SFG Lawal was investigated for violations of due process law in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

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