BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Revelations coming out of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) suggest that the suspended Director General, Ambassador Ayodele Oke’s career may have come to an unforeseen end with allegations of many institutional abuses levelled against him by his lieutenants in the Agency.
Forefront reliably gathered that the case against Oke is tightening by the day as the NIA’s Director of Finance, Alhaji Dardisu and two other senior officials, are currently singing loud before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), based on what competent sources described as the many failings of the embattled Agency boss.
Among issues giving Oke’s camp sleepless nights is claims by NIA insiders that the Naira component the organisation received under his watch far surpasses the corresponding dollar payments and there may have been lots of underhand deals exclusively executed for him by some cronies.
The sources said at the weekend that Ambassador Oke may have unwittingly played into the hands of his detractors with his seeming cautious handling of official matters within the Agency to the exclusion of some vested interest.
Of interest are the arguments that have trailed claims by some of his sympathisers about sacredness of NIA as an institution but there are however some opposition within the security circle that the so-called NIA’s sanctity cannot hold water in the circumstance. “We should look at the CIA as an example. So, all the talks and attempts to deodorize Ambassador Oke cannot stand”, an official stated.
According to another security source, “The most decorated and celebrated General in recent US history, General David Petreaus, as CIA Chief, was disgraced from office. Also, General Flynn is even a recent example. Investigation has already opened on his relationship with the Russians because he refused to make full disclosure.”
As at the time of filing this report, Alhaji Dardisu and other officials were still in EFCC custody with our sources hinting that Dardisu has been cooperating with investigators.
EFCC source told Forefront that: “All the officials so far interviewed have squarely blamed Oke as the architect of the NIA’s current travails because he went on a solo mission against the advice of other professionals and in clear breach of service rules.”
Giving an update of happenings within the Nigerian intelligence community, one of the operatives said: “In the Agency, it is common knowledge that we now refer to the suspended NIA Chief as ‘Ayo-dollar OK.”
