SGF/NIA Scandal: Tension as Osinbajo submits probe report to Buhari
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday submitted the report of the committee that investigated the allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
The committee which had the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, as members was initially billed to submit its report to Buhari on May 8 but could not do so because the President left the country on May 7 for medical follow-up in London.
Speaking to State House correspondents after submitting the report, Osinbajo said he would not divulge the details of the report.
He said the ball was now in the President’s court to study the report and take decisions based on the recommendations.
When asked whether he would disclose a brief of what is contained in the report, Osinbajo said, “Of course not. This is a report which contains recommendations to the President.
“It is a fact-finding committee as you know and what our terms of reference were was to find out based on the fact available to us and based on the interviews of witnesses of what transpired in those cases, one involving the SGF and the other the DG of NIA.
“We have now concluded that and we submitted a full report with recommendations to the President.
“We cannot, of course, give you any kind of details because the President has to look at the report, study it and then make his own decisions based on that report.”
Osinbajo said members of the committee were fair-minded and the approach adopted was to ensure that justice was done in all cases.
He said it was in the interest of the government and the nation that things were done properly with the due process followed.
He assured all stakeholders that the right thing would be done in the two cases.
When asked how soon should Nigerians be expecting the President’s decision on the report, the Vice President said, “All I can say now is that we have submitted the report to the President and it is a very detailed report as a matter of fact. The President has to study the report and make decisions.
When again asked to give an insight into the report, Osinbajo said, “Of course? I cannot. How can I? This is a document which has just been submitted to the President. He is the one who will read the recommendations and the facts and then make a decision.”
On whether heads will roll based on the report, the Vice President said, “No, how can I tell you? If you want to know what is in the report, you have to wait. You really have to wait.”
Present at the brief ceremony where Osinbajo presented the report to the President were the two other members of the committee and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
The President had on April 19 suspended Lawal and Oke and constituted a three-man committee led by Osinbajo to investigate them.
The panel investigated allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East while it probed Oke on the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, for which NIA is laying claim.Punch
