A report by New Telegraph indicates that the NSA, Major General Mohammed Monguno (rtd), has begun an investigation into the recovery of about N15 billion by the EFCC in a flat in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The EFCC had, last week Wednesday, April 12 recovered $43.4 million, £27,800 and N23.2 million totalling about N15 billion from a private apartment at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos.
NAIJ.com gathered that the NSA is to conduct investigation into the EFCC operations, the recovery and claims by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) that the money belongs to it.
The NIA is laying claims to the money, which it said was approved for covert operations by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, before the 2015 general elections.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike also claimed that the money belongs to the state, and gave the federal government seven days ultimatum to return the money to River state coffers.
A presidential source quoted in the report said: “I can tell you that the NSA, being the coordinator of all the security agencies, is probing the entire transactions and the recovery. I’m aware that the NSA has requested for vital documents from the NIA about the covert operations and the release of funds – when the payment was made and the actual amount. The NSA has also been briefed about the EFCC operations.
“The whole essence of Monguno’s probe is to establish the actual owners of the funds and if the release of the money followed due process. The NSA probe is against the backdrop of the claims and counter claims of ownership of the humongous amount. The investigation will also establish if there was security breach in the operations.”
Rivers state governor, Nyesome Wike claims the money belongs to the state
The NSA, according to the source, is expected to submit his report to the president this week.
Also, it was learnt that the president’s directive to the AGF, followed briefings from the leadership of the EFCC and those of the NIA on the recovery. A top presidential aide said the acting chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, and the director-general of the NIA, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, had separately briefed the president on the controversial money.
“The president has been briefed on the developments. The EFCC chairman briefed him on the recoveries, while the NIA also tried to prove that the money belonged to it.
“The president has directed them to submit a written report to the AGF. He is also expecting the AGF to make recommendations on what to do next.
“It was further gathered that Buhari, up till the time of the discovery, did not know about the existence of the money with the NIA. Obviously, until these developments, the president was in the dark about the money. He did not know about it and the operations the money is meant for,” said the source.
Meanwhile, the deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade
Timi Frank has written an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in connection to the recent fund recovery by the EFCC.
The Bayelsa-born APC chieftain noted that while many Nigerians have applauded the progress recorded in the anti-corruption war, and highly commend the EFCC for the great job they are doing, they expect the anti-graft commission to move a step further by disclosing those who truly own the recovered funds.
