Ikoyi Cash: Buhari Vows To Punish Culprits

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday vowed that those found guilty of having played roles in the case of large amounts of foreign and local currencies recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos would face the full wrath of the law.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, saod Buhari made the pledge at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he received the report of a panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Adesina quoted the President as describing the discovery of monies as an “unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry.

“All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the Vice President’s Committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.

“However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.

“Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistently with our anti-corruption policies,” the President was quoted to have said.

Commending the Presidential Review Panel on NIA led by a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Buhari expressed hope that the panel’s recommendations would go a long way in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall national security architecture.

“Your panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.

“The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath have also brought to the fore the need to review the entire national security architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.

“Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment,” he said.