The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has officially claimed ownership of the equivalent of about N15 billion in various currencies discovered last week at a flat at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi Lagos, the Presidency said today.

It gave the indication in a statement in which President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the immediate suspension of NIA Director General, Ambassador Ayo Oke. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), said in the statement issued in Abuja that “the President has ordered a full scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.”

According to Adesina, “The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the 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.

“The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation.”

Adesina disclosed that the investigation, as well as the one into the corruption allegations against Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr David Babachir Lawal, would be handled by “a three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President.

“The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.”

The statement indicated that the most senior officer in the NIA and the most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF’s office “are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.”

News Express reports that controversy has trailed the discovery of the huge sums in the Ikoyi flat, with EFCC keeping sealed lips on the owner of the money, thus opening the door to wild speculations that the money might have been looted and kept by past government official(s).

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