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Nigeria probes two top officials over bribery, embezzlement

Xinhua, April 19, 2017 Adjust font size:

Two top officials have been put under investigation on suspicion of taking bribes and embezzlement in Nigeria, the government said Wednesday.

President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the immediate suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) David Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Ayo Oke.

The two would remain suspended pending the outcome of investigation into various allegations against them, Femi Adesina, the president's spokesperson said in Abuja, the nation's capital.

A three-member panel headed by the Vice President would undertake the investigation, Adesina added, noting that the Committee is to submit its report to the president within 14 days.

The SGF would be investigated over alleged violations of laws and due process in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East (PINE).

Oke was suspended to facilitate "full scale investigation" into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos, which the NIA has made claims to.

The spokesperson said the investigation is also to inquire 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.

The large sum of money, which the NIA and Oke laid claimed to was discovered by the EFCC in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos. Endit