Reps probe NIA over $44m cash movement

The House of Representatives is investigating the reported disappearance of $44 million from the vaults of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA).

The House yesterday resolved to also probe the issue surrounding citizenship of the newly appointed Director General of the NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

The resolution followed adoption of a motion titled: ‘Need to investigate the alleged carting away of $44m from NIA and the issues surrounding the appointment of its new DG’ sponsored by Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa).

The House said it was concerned that “The identity, nationality, citizenship and even the competence of the new DG have become a subject of public speculation and controversy.”

The lawmakers were also disturbed by a report that the sum of $44m was removed from NIA’s vaults last week to an unknown destination.

They said at a time when the country was yet to recover from the shock of the $43.4m recovered from an Ikoyi residence last year, it was embarrassing that the agency got involved in another financial scandal.

They said the twin issues of the appointment and the disappearance of the $44m “Paint a poor picture of our national security and diminishes the reputation of the agency in the eyes of the Nigerian public and the international community.”

Daily Trust had on Sunday exclusively reported that $44m in cash kept in NIA’s vaults in Abuja was removed to an unknown destination.

The amount was said to have been surreptitiously removed even before the agency’s new DG resumed duty.

However, top government officials told Daily Trust yesterday that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, who posted a Brigadier-General to Head the Finance Directorate of the NIA, was believed to have ordered the evacuation of the money following Abubakar’s appointment.

The investigation is being conducted by the House committee on public safety and intelligence.