‘More govt officials to be suspended soon’ - Source

As investigations to unravel the true owner of the Ikoyi ‘loot’ continues, a source has hinted that more government officials linked to the money may be suspended soon.

President Muhammadu Buhari had suspended Ayodele Oke, the director general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Wednesday, April 19, 2017.

Oke had laid claim to the money saying it was for a ‘covert operation’ currently being undertaken by the NIA.

President Buhari also set up a three-man investigative panel headed by vice president Yemi Osinbajo to unravel how and by whose or which authority such fund was made available to the NIA.

President Buhari had told the committee no one found guilty should be spared.

According to the source, more government officials have been linked to the recovered money.

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The source noted that panelists were shocked at the evidence presented to them last Friday by the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, whose operatives recovered the money.

“Names of many top government officials have been mentioned in respect of the money found at an apartment in Ikoyi,” the source told Daily Trust.

“The panel has compelling reasons to invite all of them for interrogation. But beyond that, those officials are going to be suspended soon. Mr President will not spare anyone involved,” the source added.

Meanwhile, report has it that the Presidency has started shopping for the replacement of Babachir Lawal, the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Lawal was suspended for allegedly misappropriating funds allocated for the development of the northeast region.