DG, NIA: House committee begins probe over $44m, nationality

Days after the media blew the whistle over a missing $44 million from the vault of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on National Security and Intelligence to investigate the missing money.
It will also look into allegations that the new Director-general of the NIA, Dr. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, is not a Nigerian, but a Chadian.
Allegations are that he was born in Chad, where he had his primary and secondary education.
Dr. Abubakar, a former aide to President Buhari, was named last week to replace Ambassador Ayo Oke who was sacked following a report by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, over the discovery of $43 million in a residential apartment in Ikoyi by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The House of Representatives, Tuesday, adopted a motion by Duoye Diri over the alleged missing $44 million two days after the new NIA helmsman took office.
Said Diri: “The nation is yet to recover from the shock of the `Ikoyigate Safe House’ scandal involving 43.4 million dollars, N23.2 million and 27, 800 pounds, the report of which is yet to be made public…
“The controversy surrounding the appointment and the cash scandal paint a poor picture of the country’s national security and diminishes the reputation of the agency.”