No Fear, No Favour as Osinbajo Panel Begins Sitting on SGF/N13bn Recovery
Panel to invite all relevant officials, private individuals Proceedings will hold behind closed doors to allow full disclosure
The three-man committee headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to investigate allegations of financial impropriety against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, and Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ayodele Oke, has said it would discharge its duty without fear or favour.
Oke's suspension was based on the discovery of N13.3bn in an apartment in Ikoyi, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which he claimed belonged to the NIA.
The committee which pledged to conduct its assignment with utmost diligence and turn in its report within 14 days as scheduled, also spelt out the procedure for its operations.
The three-man committee was constituted on April 19 by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe allegations of violations of law and due process against Lawal on the award of contracts
as the Chairman, the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE). PINE had been set up by the president with the mandate to spearhead the rehabilitation of North-east destroyed by Boko Haram.
Specifically, the SGF had in December last year, been accused by the Senate of awarding contracts for grass cutting in the crisis-ridden North-eastern part of Nigeria to his Company, Rholavision. He was also accused of awarding contracts to Josmo Technologies to the tune of N272 million for Josmo to allegedly pay back the sum into Rholavision's Ecobank account some days later.
On the other hand, the committee was mandated to commence investigation into the funds discovered in a flat in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos as well as the claim of ownership of the money by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The committee was tasked to investigate how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to 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.
A statement issued yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media, Mr. Laolu Akande, disclosed that the committee had begun its work in earnest.
Following perceived speculations on the conduct of the committee's work so far by some newspapers, Akande said the committee's activities would be conducted in closed-door sessions to avoid speculations during which he said relevant persons to the probe would be invited to state their own sides of the story.
The statement reads: "The Presidential Committee ordered earlier this week by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe certain allegations against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke has commenced its work in earnest.
"President Buhari on Wednesday established the 3-man panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, with Attorney-General & Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, Rtd Major General Babagana Munguno as members, to investigate allegations of legal and due process violations made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
"In the discharge of its work, the panel is expected to invite all relevant officials and private individuals, who may be connected to both cases. It will also obtain and scrutinize documents that may throw some light on the issues raised in both cases. All its proceedings will however be in closed sessions to avoid speculations, allow for full disclosure and enhance the pace of proceedings.
"The panel which is expected to submit its report to the President at the expiration of the 14-day deadline, will conduct its work with utmost diligence and without fear or favour."
The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, had appeared for several hours before the committee on Friday to give his own account on the raid on the apartment where the funds were recovered.