A former president, Goodluck Jonathan, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; and anti-corruption chief, Ibrahim Magu are amongst some high-profile personalities that are expected to be questioned by a presidential panel investigating the mysteries surrounding the over N13 billion recovered from an apartment in Lagos last Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The panel will also question the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayodele Oke, and his predecessor, Olaniyi Oladeji.
The owner of the building where the money was found and the EFCC official who led the operation will also be questioned by the three-man panel, which was convened on Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES understands.

The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, who is also a member of the investigating committee is also expected to brief the committee on what he knows following reports that Mr. Oke briefed him on the NIA operation prior to the discovery of the money.
President Muhammadu Buhari named Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to lead the committee, with Attorney General Abubakar Malami and Mr. Monguno being the remaining two members, the presidency said in a statement.

The constitution of the panel came as the presidency
announced the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and Mr. Oke for their respective roles in the grass cutting scandal and the over N13 billion recovered in Lagos respectively.
“The president also 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,” presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said Wednesday.

Mr. Adesina’s statement appears to indicate that the presidency has already accepted the NIA’s argument that the money belongs to it.
The investigative panel was tasked to unravel 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,” Mr. Adesina said.
In a separate probe, the same committee is also to look into the allegations against Mr. Lawal in the grass cutting scandal.

THE IKOYI RECOVERY
Operatives of the EFCC, acting on a tip-off on April 12, said they found $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 hidden inside an apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi.
The funds were valued at over N13 billion based on prevailing exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
But the development, which could have been another success in the ongoing campaign against graft, became problematic for the Buhari administration following conflicting reports about the ownership of the money.
A day after news of the recovery gripped the country, the EFCC approached the Federal High Court , FHC, to secure a forfeiture order.
Muslim Hassan, a judge at the Lagos Division of the FHC, granted the anti-graft agency’s request and gave any potential claimant until May 5, else the entire N13 billion would be permanently forfeited to the Nigerian government.

On April 14, Mr. Oke told PREMIUM TIMES the NIA concealed the money in the apartment for undisclosed operations the foreign intelligence office was conducting.
Our sources said Mr. Oke had approached Mr. Magu to order EFCC operatives who broke into the apartment to back down while the operation was still underway, but the EFCC boss declined his pleas.
But the security chief would not comment on the purpose of the fund, telling this newspaper: “You don’t expect me to tell you that.”
On April 15, Governor Nyesom Wike said the money belonged to Rivers State, having allegedly been plundered by his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi.
“We have facts to prove that the said money belongs to the Rivers State Government,” Mr. Wike said. “The Federal Government must return our money.”
But Mr. Amaechi, now Minister of Transport, strongly denied the allegations and threatened to sue those who publicly accused him of being the owner of the money.

The uncertainties notwithstanding, President Buhari directed that the money be returned to the CBN and ordered preliminary findings into the matter.
Why Osinbajo’s panel may question Jonathan, Emefiele, others
Sources close to the panel told PREMIUM TIMES its members commenced work on Wednesday afternoon and identified some key individuals whose information would be useful to their work.

The panel, which has two weeks to conclude its activities, will invite the individuals for the unique insight they might have on the matter.
On his part, Mr. Jonathan is expected to be questioned over claims that he approved the operation for which the NIA allegedly obtained the money.

Presidency and security sources told PREMIUM TIMES on April 14 that Mr. Jonathan approved the funds for the 30-year old secret service agency after its immediate past boss, Mr. Oladeji, alerted him to the need for some “crucial and covert security projects”.
Since the presidency said the person who authorised the funds for the NIA would be crucial, it indicates that Mr. Buhari might not have prior knowledge of the operation.

A source said should Mr. Oke’s reported stance that Mr. Jonathan approved the money be found to be true, then the former president would have to be questioned.However, the former president may not be summoned, our sources said, as the committee members will arrange to meet with Mr. Jonathan, who left office in 2015, at the former president’s preferred point.

The panel will also summon Mr. Emefiele, who has led the CBN since 2014.
The apex bank is believed to have released the money to the NIA as a way of making the funding of the ‘covert operation’ entirely secret, PREMIUM TIMES understands.
The recovered funds had the packaging and inscriptions of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company on them, indicating that they might have come directly from the CBN. The dollar denominations were also itemised with serialised bar codes.
But the CBN already cast doubts about its connection to the money.
“I cannot say if the notes the NIA is claiming came from the CBN,” its spokesperson, Isaac Okorafor, told PREMIUM TIMES over the weekend.
Mr. Oke and Mr. Olajide will be grilled by the committee to explain the NIA’s roles.
Although Mr. Olajide left NIA since 2013, and handed over to Mr. Oke, security sources told PREMIUM TIMES he initiated the clandestine projects and forwarded the proposal to Mr. Jonathan for approval.
The two security chiefs are expected tell the committee about the project in detail, sources said.
Sources also said the panel will take testimonies from Mr. Monguno, even though he’s a member. This is largely due to claims by NIA sources that the NSA was briefed on the project and knew about the money.
Mr. Magu will be invited alongside his subordinate who led the operation for their respective roles in the recovery, our sources said.

One of the most widely-asked questions centred on the owner the apartment where the money was recovered in particular and the Osborne Towers itself in general.
Shortly after EFCC announced the recovery, media reports mentioned a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Mu’azu, as the owner of the building and possible owner of the funds.
But the former Bauchi governor has since denied being the current owner the property , even though he acknowledged he built it.
“I acquired the land and jointly developed it using a bank loan, I obtained about nine (9) years ago,” Mr. Mu’azu said. “However, all the flats have been sold to prospective buyers in order to pay back the loan.”
For this reason, our sources said, the panel intends to invite the owner of the apartment. But it is not immediately clear if the members have identified the owner as at Wednesday night.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/229124-exclusive-jonathan-emefiele-magu-others-questioned-presidential-panel-probing-n13-billion-ikoyi-money.html

Apc and confusion !

Hold that Jonathan by him bloccus, Him be Anini

What a way to go! Mr. Oke should be the lead-pathfinder of this investigation.

Like i've said that for Mr.Oke to come up and lay claim to the money as belonging to the NIA has implicated himself either way;
He's either liable to cover up or liable for failure to disclose the said covert operation to the president after a reasonable time.

There is no way Emefiele & Jonathan (dumbo yeezus 1 of otuoke land, clueless 1 of naijaland ) will claim ignorance of that fund....No way...

Just the way the $20b Emir Sanusi whistle blew about had Zenith bank & Emefiele's prints all over it...He got his position through being "useful"....

Emefiele is safe though, he knows about the trail & hideouts.... To catch a band of bandits, it pays your course to have an "inroad" into their gang...

poshestmina:
Apc and confusion !

As long as their "confusion" is benefitting the masses we are okay with that.

N

989900:
This is nothing compared to what is left undiscovered.

How about the $1.3b (with $400m going to Jonathan) Shell/Eni/Malabu scandal?

GEJ has jail time written all over him, especially overseas.

Fact

Anyone who actually believes GEJ will appear before this kangaroo panel needs his head examined

I don tire for ikoyi $48m news.


na so dem go drag am till it becomes weightless. and dem nor go fit arrest a single person concerning it.

DO YOUR WORK IN SECRET ... LET NIGERIANS SEE THE EFFECT

locosis007:
I don tire for ikoyi $48m news.


na so dem go drag am till it becomes weightless. and dem nor go fit arrest a single person concerning it.

DO YOUR WORK IN SECRET ... LET NIGERIANS SEE THE EFFECT

Some of you are just unbelievably too ignorant.

How could such amount of money have been discovered without the news circulating or breaking all over the world?

You must think we're in 1850 when things could be done in complete secrecy.

Confused, gullible lot!

If there are serious about uncovering who owns that money they should question the owners of apartment 7A ,Muazu and his lawyer who handled the sale of the apartment. Furthermore officials of the Lagos state ministry of lands and housing should also be questioned.

GEJ has nothing to do with that building and will rightly snub any stupid summon.

SillyMods:

Some of you are just unbelievably too ignorant.

How could such amount of money have been discovered without the news circulating or breaking all over the world?

You must think we're in 1850 when things could be done in complete secrecy.

Confused, gullible lot!

You really don't get his point and have no need to insult him.

Usually before the world get briefed, the whole job around the money, the fraudsters, the thieves, and all investigations would have been completed by a sane organization. When this is not done, briefing will be continuous till completion

Aufbauh:
What a way to go! Mr. Oke should be the lead-pathfinder of this investigation.

Like i've said that for Mr.Oke to come up and lay claim to the money as belonging to the NIA has implicated himself either way;
He's either liable to cover up or liable for failure to disclose the said covert operation to the president after a reasonable time.

And if the NSA is aware nko, doesn't that mean the president is aware?
The whole thing is kangaroo. Cover still a possibility.

new2012:


You really don't get his point and have no need to insult him.

Usually before the world get briefed, the whole job around the money, the fraudsters, the thieves, and all investigations would have been completed by a sane organization. When this is not done, briefing will be continuous till completion

Sorry to burst your bubble, even in the advanced democracies, news of discoveries are broken even before full investigation is commenced or completed. You report your discoveries first and then follow up with investigation. From America to UK to France and others, it's same process.

It's only when the issue is of national security concern you don't have to do that. If you remove such huge raw cash from a private apartment and you don't announce it, the news will find its way to the media and before you know it, many will start alleging some cover-up or intention to loot steal the loot entirely.

Wetin go fit satisfy una sef?

Splashme:
"A source said should Mr. Oke’s reported stance that Mr. Jonathan approved the money be found to be true, then the former president would have to be questioned. However, the former president may not be summoned, our sources said, as the committee members will arrange to meet with Mr. Jonathan, who left office in 2015, at the former president’s preferred point."

All these yeye newspapers be using Jonathan's name upandan to sell their market.

1) Was GEJ not president of Nigeria?

2) If for any reason he gave approval, was it a verbal one?

3) Definitely, it was written and documented!

4) What is Jonathan coming to the panel to do? The onus is on Mr Oke (or Aso Rock civil service) to search for and produce a copy of the
of the approval.

Unfortunately, El Fortunato gave many verbal approvals for many things.

The man no fit run a classroom as a captain.

Please, they should also remember to call the canary from Kogi to give details of what he knows about it to them as well..

The main aim of the investigations if they are serious will be to determine who actually owns that apartment. Hardcore evidence must be adduced by whomever claims to owns that apartment. This must be confirmed with old records at the Lagos state ministry of lands, housing and survey.

Next will be to investigate how the money got to that apartment. Where did the owner of that apartment get that volume of forex from?

Furthermore FFK,Lere Olayinka should also be invited to substantiate their allegations that the apartment belongs to Amaechi.

If need be to probe links to the GEJ regime then officials of the GEJ regime who worked directly with the NIA should be invited most likely the already incarcerated former NSA Dasuki

Inviting GEJ himself is insulting and I bet you he would not even honour the summons with a response let alone showing up before the panel

SillyMods:

Unfortunately, El Fortunato gave many verbal approvals for many things.

The man no fit run a classroom as a captain.

Too bad for Oke then if he claims all he got was a verbal approval. That would not be tenable before any court of law

Not sure the former President will appear oh! Let us watch as everything unfolds.

cktheluckyman:
The main aim of the investigations if they are serious will be to determine who actually owns that apartment. Hardcore evidence must be adduced by whomever claims to owns that apartment. This must be confirmed with old records at the Lagos state ministry of lands, housing and survey.

Next will be to investigate how the money got to that apartment. Where did the owner of that apartment get that volume of forex from?

Furthermore FFK,Lere Olayinka should also be invited to substantiate their allegations that the apartment belongs to Amaechi.

If need be to probe links to the GEJ regime then officials of the GEJ regime who worked directly with the NIA should be invited most likely the already incarcerated former NSA Dasuki

Inviting GEJ himself is insulting and I bet you he would not even honour the summons with a response let alone showing up before the panel

Inviting GEJ is insulting ?

Really ? If Oke's claim is near trrue, We are talking about Billions of cash here for a secret agent without the current President knowing about it.

That is enough to destabilize or overthrow the Govt.

The owner of the apartment is known already. It is a company said to be controlled by the Oke guy.

We have seen a list showing all the owners of each of the apartments .

So let the dumb Amaechi link die down so we can concentrate. PDP probably need to help us look for the house Amaechi is hiding the cash he stole but this is their money.