President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday terminated the appointment of Mr Babachir David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and approved the appointment of Mr Boss Mustapha as his replacement.
The President also approved the termination of the appointment of the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, following the recommendations of a panel set up to investigate allegations surrounding both officials.
The decision was announced in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja.
According to the statement, President Buhari had considered the report of the investigative panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo before accepting its recommendations on the two officials.
“The President accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr Lawal, and has appointed Mr Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The appointment takes immediate effect,” the statement said.
Lawal had been suspended from office in April 2017 after allegations were raised over the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE), with questions also raised about compliance with due process.
Oke was similarly suspended after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered large amounts of foreign and local currencies in an apartment at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Following the discovery, the NIA said the funds belonged to the agency and were meant for a covert operation. The apartment was subsequently linked to Oke’s wife.
President Buhari had thereafter constituted a three-member panel headed by Vice President Osinbajo to investigate the allegations against Lawal and Oke. The Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Security Adviser were members of the panel.
The committee was expected to examine the allegations and submit its findings to the President, but the process was delayed after Buhari travelled to London in May 2017 for medical treatment.
The eventual decision to remove the two officials came after the President received and considered the panel’s report.
While terminating Oke’s appointment, Buhari also directed the establishment of another three-member panel to examine the operational, technical and administrative structure of the NIA and make recommendations on the agency’s future operations.
Boss Mustapha, who was appointed to succeed Lawal as SGF, assumed the position at a time when the administration was seeking to strengthen coordination within the Federal Government.
The appointment took immediate effect, according to the Presidency.
The removal of Lawal and Oke brought to an end months of uncertainty over their positions following their suspension and the investigations into the allegations against them.
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