From Kemi Yesufu, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has, again, summoned the suspended Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The committee had, on three occasions, invited heads of the agencies relevant to its investigation into how foreign and local currencies, totalling about $43.4 million, £27,800 and N23.2 million were uncovered by the EFCC in a flat on at Osborne Towers, in Ikoyi, Lagos.
On Wednesday, April 26, 2017, the chamber directed the Aminu Sani Jaji-led committee to investigate the discovery totaling over N13 billion.
The committee was given two weeks to report back to the House for further legislative action.
But, the committee has made little progress, with members expressing anger, yesterday, over continuous absence of agencies and persons invited to speak on the huge cash discovery.
A letter from the CBN Governor wasn’t well received by the committee, as they, again, summoned the agency heads who had consistently failed to honour previous invitations.
Emefiele, in his letter received by the committee, just two hours before commencement of yesterday’s hearing, argued that the matter being investigated by the House is a delicate one and had already been investigated by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo.
He added that while the provisions quoted by the lawmakers in their May 10, 2017 letter has merit, the National Security Agency Act identifies information coming from the agency under scrutiny as classified.