The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has weighed in on the long-running controversy surrounding former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayodele Oke, declaring that recent developments vindicate the former intelligence chief while exposing lapses in inter-agency coordination within the security system.
Speaking at a State of the Nation briefing in Abuja, Executive Director of the Council, Blessing Akinlosotu, said the 2017 incident involving the discovery of $43 million, £27,800 and ₦23 million in an Ikoyi apartment was “a simple case of uncoordinated and disjointed security operations” between sister agencies.
Akinlosotu recalled that the Ikoyi funds, which triggered public outrage and subsequent investigations, were part of a covert operation budget duly approved for classified national security activities.
It would be recalled that Ambassador Oke was dismissed in October 2017 following the report of a panel led by then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, over questions surrounding the ownership of the apartment linked to his wife. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) later filed money-laundering charges against the ex-NIA boss and his spouse.
According to the group, intelligence community records and independent findings showed that the funds were legitimately obtained from the $289 million cash disbursed to the NIA in 2015 for “special operations,” insisting that the Central Bank of Nigeria was aware of its movement.
The Council stated that Oke, as NIA DG, had developed a cash-based operational architecture to support sensitive intelligence missions in locations where digital transactions could compromise operations. The funds were therefore stored in what was internally designated as a “safe house” in Ikoyi.
However, the group faulted what it described as the sensational handling of the matter after a whistleblower alerted another security agency.
Akinlosotu noted that after a thorough review by the Presidency, the EFCC applied to withdraw the charges in June 2023, with the Federal High Court subsequently striking out the case.
The NCSCN also weighed in on President Bola Tinubu’s recent nomination of Oke as an ambassador, describing it as “a positive development” and “a signal that professional competence, once vindicated, deserves restoration.”
While the group admitted that the use of a residence linked to Oke’s wife for storing classified funds was not ideal, it maintained that the intentions behind the initiative were patriotic and strategically sound.
The Council called on security agencies, media organizations and civil society groups to exercise due diligence when handling sensitive intelligence issues to avoid jeopardizing national security operations.
“EFCC and all other agencies must improve on information sharing and collaborative operations to prevent a repeat of such unfortunate occurrences,” Akinlosotu said.
