There are strong indications that the Department of State Services, DSS, has received the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari, to carry out full investigations into the N480 billion budget padding, in the House of Representatives.
It was gathered on Saturday, July 30, that security agencies, had already swung into action by scrutinizing documents collected from a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, as part of the investigations into the budget padding.
According to reports, the DSS had sealed the Secretariat of the House of Representative Committee on Appropriation, on Saturday.
The operatives barred the Clerk to the Committee, Dr. Abel Ochigbo, from entering his office.
Although, Ochigbo and other member of staff were in possession of the keys to the Secretariat, they were not allowed access into the office.
The DSS operatives blocked Ochigbo, when he wanted to open the door, and denied him access.
“No, no; you cannot enter there please,” a DSS official said and blocked Ochigbo from gaining entrance into the premises.
The security personnel did not listen to the Clerk’s explanations.
The Clerk later made phone calls and tried to pass his phone over to the security operatives, so that he could speak with someone on the other end of the line, but the man declined to receive the phone.
The closure, marked the latest development in the on-going political and media war between Dogara and Jibrin, over the alleged manipulation of line items and figures in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.
It was further gathered, that the DSS officials stormed the Secretariat, which serves as offices for the 40-member Appropriation Committee and its staff, and immediately placed it under lock and key. The DSS also sealed Jibrin’s office, at Room 105, in the New House of Representatives building.
Investigations showed that Buhari, as part of his commitment to the anti-graft war, was favourably disposed to investigations into the allegations, in spite of his closeness to the Speaker, Dogara.
Jibrin, had in his petitions to the security agencies, accused Dogara, his Deputy, Yusuf Lasun; the House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, of padding the budget.
Sources said Jibrin had submitted “incontrovertible” evidence, linking the four men to the budget padding incident that embarrassed the Federal Government.
Further findings indicated that Jibrin had received the full support of the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
It was learnt that Jibrin had met with Malami, where he was assured of the Federal Government’s support for his anti-corruption crusade in the National Assembly.
A top government officer said; “Security agencies have received the backing of the President, to probe the allegation. The President has said that there is no sacred cow in the fight against corruption. You know he is close to Dogara, but he will not stop the security agencies from investigating anybody.”
However, the Presidency has maintained that the President would not interfere with the budget padding allegation in the House.
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