Armed men guarding the residence of the immediate past Acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Dauda, on Monday night engaged in an armed battle with officers of the Department of State Service (DSS) and the NIA, following attempts to forcefully evict the former NIA boss from his official residence.

Reports reaching us indicate that the official residence of the ex-NIA boss came under siege on Monday evening, as a fallout of ongoing investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the House of Representatives over alleged attempts to siphon $44 million from the coffers of the NIA allegedly by the trio of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Abba Kyari and the incumbent NIA DG, Abubakar Rufai Ahmed.

Recall that Ambassador Dauda had in a memo to the EFCC and the House of Reps Committee on National Safety and Intelligence indicted the three aides of President Muhammad Buhari over sundry corrupt tendencies.

His memo seems to have angered Babagana Kingibe who it was reported had threatened to deal with the ex-NIA boss, which may have given rise to the invasion on Dauda’s residence.

Attempts to reach Kingibe and Kyari as well as Ambassadors Kingibe and Dauda were not successful, by domestic staffers at Dauda’s residence confirmed that they were still being held hostages in the house.

Our correspondent who visited the area reports that journalists and other onlookers have been sent away from the venue of the drama by the DSS and NIA personnel still keeping vigil at Osaro Close, off Osaro Street, Maitama, Ambassador Dauda's residence.

Findings reveal that the embattled former Ag. DG had earlier left the house to an unknown destination, shortly before the arrival of the combined operatives.

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