The Presidency says the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke, remain suspended from their offices.
Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, on April 19, suspended the two government officials and constituted a three-man committee led by the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, to investigate them.
The panel investigated allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East while it probed Oke on the discovery of huge cash by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, for which NIA is laying claim.
The committee which has the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, as members was billed to submit its report to Buhari on May 8 but could not do so because the President left the country on March 7 for medical follow-up in London.
But Akande urged Nigerians to be patient, saying the outcome of the panel would be made public at the appropriate time.
“Regarding media inquiries on the progress of the report of the presidential investigative panel, Akande urged for patience, explaining that when the time comes, the outcome of the panel would be made manifestly public and Nigerians would be satisfied. He said the two suspended officials remain suspended,” the statement read.
Akande also disclosed that as part of activities to commemorate the second anniversary of the of present administration, a report card on the Social Investment Programmes would be held on May 29 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Here at this national event, we shall be updating Nigerians on the progress so far attained, how we are addressing some challenges and how President Buhari’s Social Investment Programmes would be significantly expanded going forward,” Akande added.