Nigeria suspends security chief, top official

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday suspended a top security chief and a government’s official over allegations of corruption against them until probes into the claims are concluded.

“Buhari has ordered an investigation into the allegations of violations of law and due process made against the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) David Babachir Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE),” according to a statement from the president's office.

“The president has also directed the suspension of the SGF from office pending the outcome of the investigations,” it added.

PINE was established to cater the needs of millions of Nigerians affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

The president also suspended the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ayo Oke following his agency claimed that it owns $43m recently found at a private apartment in posh Osborne Estate in the capital of Lagos.

Buhari set up a three-member committee to investigate the discovery of the huge sum of money and the NIA’s ownership claim, the statement said.

“The investigation is 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,” it added.