The probe into the $43m uncovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC appears to be unveiling unexpected twists.
It could be recalled that Ayodele Oke, the Director General of National Intelligence Agency,NIA had reportedly claimed ownership of the Ikoyi billion, a development that led to his suspension from office.
Newsdiaryonline has learned from informed sources at NIA that the predicaments of Oke has taken taken further twist records have shown that the NIA as directd by the DG made payments to Ambassador Babagana Kingibe.
Kingibe, a former running mate to late MKO Abiola later became a minister.He also served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF under former President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The latest revelations according to NIA sources indicate that “a discovery of payments made to Ambassador Kingibe from NIA security votes linked to Ikoyi billions”.
Unknown to many Kingibe has been playing a major foreign policy role quietly within the confines of Aso Rock, a source said.
He is known to have a long standing personal and official relationship with the suspended DG NIA. It was learnt,Oke served as Third secretary in the Nigeria High Commission in Islamabad,Pakistan under Ambassador Kingibe.
According to an insider, this very close personal relationship continued when kingibe assumed the role of de facto foreign policy chief of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
NIA sources said Oke has been singing and has said among others that payment were indeed made to Kingibe from the funds under his control. He reportedly wept when he was disallowed from seeing President Buhari after the announcement of his suspension.
Meanwhile, while attesting to Kingibe’s top notch role in the villa, a source said “It is public knowledge in the Villa that the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari , a protégé of Kingibe was instrumental to Nigeria’s dismal outing in the last AU meeting where Fatima Mohammed Kyari was fielded for the chair of AU Commissioner for security, a bid Nigeria lost to Algeria.
“The campaign team, that is the Federal Government delegation to Addis Ababa was led by Ambassador Kingibe” the NIA source said.
Sources said NIA DG,Oke is claiming that he gave part of the Ikoyi billions to Kingibe to sponsor the campaign.
Despite these revelations, though Kingiba whom, a source ‘uncharitably’ described as “the cabal” appears unruffled. He is said to be digging in and may have joined the battle to become SGF once again after losing an alleged bid to be Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Recently President Muhammadu Buhari suspended SGF Babachir Lawal over the grass cutting contract scam.Same day, Oke ,DG of NIA was suspended.
A three-man panel was set up led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.The panel has announced that it would conduct its affairs behind closed doors just as it assured that it would operate without fear of favour.
