Chairman, Media Committee of
Onevoice Coalition and Executive Director, Independent Advocacy Project (IAP),
Lagos, Pastor Adedeji Adeleye, has urged the federal government of
Nigeria to ensure that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),
Babachir David Lawal and the Director General (DG) of the National Intelligence
Agency (NIA), are prosecuted if found wanting.
He said this during a media chat at
the Centre for Constitutional Governance, Ilupeju, Lagos.
According to Adeleye, the evidences
that had been brought up already signify that both men are corrupt and shouldn’t
be allowed back to their offices.
Adeleye said: “OneVoice Coalition wants to see that the two
top officials are indicted and prosecuted. No doubt, the DG NIA has good
credentials, but he has been caught in the web of corruption. He must be
indicted. Babachir Lawal is a fine official of the government. He also must be
indicted and prosecuted. This is the surest way that those of us on this divide,
which are not directly in government, can be assured that Buhari is not
covering up or shielding up his men.”
It will be recalled that Lawal was
accused sometimes last year of awarding grass cutting contracts of N270 million
to companies where he had ownership interests.
This led to another accusation of
paying N200million to consultants only known to him for the N270m grass cutting
contract.
Lawal was also accused of collecting
a bribe of N450m, which was allegedly paid into his company’s account, Rholavision
Engineering Limited. Another money was also alleged to have been paid into his
private account.
He was accused of meddling with or trying to
corner the $1.2b European Union (EU) fund.
Adeleye noted: “On April 12, 2017,
sequel to a whistle blower’s information, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), stormed a residential building in the seventh floor of a
four bedroom apartment (flat 7B) at Osbourne Towers, at Osbourne road,
Ikoyi Lagos and recovered $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m stashed in office shelves
hidden in a wardrobe. NIA claimed ownership of the money and the apartment,
even though the apartment was rented under the name ‘Chobe Ventures Limited,’
controlled by Mrs Folashade Oke. Mr. Oke claimed that the money was meant for domestic
intelligence operation for Nigeria. Upon these claims, the presidency suspended
Oke on the basis of not informing the presidency of the existence of such
intelligence.”
The chairman said that both the SGF
and DG NIA were suspended on April 19,2017 and handed over to a fact finding
panel consisting of three men; Attorney General and Justice Minister, Abubakar
Malami, the National Security Adviser, Babanga Mongono and headed by the
Vice Presisent Yemi Osinbajo.
The group further urged the EFCC, ICPC
and DSS to synergize, in order to achieve more convictions against corrupt
officials.
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