The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has terminated the money laundering case filed against a former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, after discovering $43 million, £27,000 and N23 million in an Ikoyi flat.
The Cable reported that the presiding judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, Chukwujekwu Aneke, struck out the case on Friday, following EFCC’s initiation to terminate the case.
The case, which was terminated on the grounds of ‘national security’ was not objected by the defence team led by Kayode Ajulo of the Castle of Law Chambers.
It would be recalled that the former President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), reportedly approved the termination of the case before leaving office.
In April 2017, EFCC said it had discovered $43 million, £27,000 and N23 million stashed in a flat on Osborne Road in Ikoyi following a tip-off from a whistle blower.
The monies were reportedly for the NIA. It was gathered that the agency had collected $289,202,382 in cash for special operations from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2015.
Although, NIA said the funds were part of “covert intelligence operations” but there was public outcry that it was a case of looting.
A three-man panel headed by the former Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, indicted Oke and recommended his dismissal, which was effected in October same year.
On January 20, 2019, Osinbajo said criminal allegations would be filed against Oke and Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation, following a directive from Buhari.
However, an anonymous source from the NIA claimed, “Most of the projects financed by NIA from the funds are aimed at gathering intelligence and these things are usually done through cash transactions.
“Government might have succumbed to public sentiments to treat it as a crime, but there will be dire consequences for the nation’s security operations.”
