NIA: $202m Missing, Not $44m—Reps

By Dipo Olowookere

The committee investigating the alleged missing $44 million at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has revealed the actual amount not accounted for is $202 million.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Safety and National Intelligence, Mr Aminu Sani-Jaji, told newsmen on Sunday that the latest discovery was made while the panel was carrying out its duties.

According to him, information was extracted from former DG of the agency, Mr Ayo Oke; the National Security Adviser, Mr Babagana Monguno; and the acting DG, Mr Rufai-Abubakar.

He said under the leadership of Mr Oke, the NIA collected a total of $289 million as intervention funds during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The lawmaker explained that $43 million was part of the money the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered in Ikoyi in April 2017, while $44 million was moved from the vault of the agency to another location.

However, Mr Sani-Jaji said the committee was unable to get any useful information on the balance of $202 million from the officials, who made appearances before it.

“We had a meeting too with the NSA. We later discovered from our meeting since last week that the $44 million is not missing. For that one, I can tell you they moved the money from one place to another. We are still investigating.

“If we get 60 to 70 percent of what we are supposed to get, then we can tell you. But, for now, I will tell you categorically that the money isn’t missing. They only moved it from the agency to another place, pending when all these issues surrounding the agency would be resolved.

“If you remember, this $44 million is part of the $289 million approved for the then DG, Ayo Oke. You know that in April last year, there was the issue of $43 million found in Ikoyi. He tried to say that the $44 million and the $43 million are part of the $289 million.

“But for us, we are still working to see where the remaining $202 million was placed. We only know about the $43 million recovered in Ikoyi and the $44 million recovered from their vault.

“In the course of our investigation, we will come up with where the $289 million really is, not the $43 million and not the $44 million but the entire amount.

“Yes, for me it is ($202 million) still missing. The money in question is $289 million, and all what the former DG is trying to say is that the $43 million and the $44 million are part of the $289 million.

“If you subtract $43 million and $44 million, where is the balance? That is why we are where we are today, and that is also why we have to intensify the investigation.”