- Chairman of the Senate committee on humanitarian crisis in north-east, Shehu Sani, says he is opposed to a “secret trial” of suspended SGF Babachir Lawal
- Sani states that the outcome of a secret investigation might not meet the expectations of Nigerians who want to see the fight against corruption of this administration waged across all political parties
- The senator calls on the federal government to make the investigations of the suspended SGF, Babachir Lawa, public for Nigerians to know
The Senate has threatened to make public documents incriminating suspended secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal, if the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led panel failed to conduct its investigation publicly.
It was recalled that Lawal was indicted by the Senate committee on humanitarian crisis in the north-east for allegedly awarding a N200 million contract for the clearing of grass at IDP camp in Yobe state to a company in which he has interest. The SGF was thereafter suspended by the presidency and a panel to was constituted to investigate the allegations against him. But the chairman of the Senate committee on humanitarian crisis in north-east, Shehu Sani, has said in as much as he supported the anti-graft policy of the Buhari administration, he was opposed to “secret trial” of Lawal, the Sun reports.
Sani who expressed his stance on the issue in Kaduna on Monday, April 24, while reacting to a statement by the vice president’s spokesman that the panel’s proceedings will be closed sessions, noted that the outcome of a secret investigation might not meet the expectations of Nigerians who wanted to see the fight against corruption of this administration waged across all political parties.
“If Osinbajo committee has chosen a close session, the senate committee will conduct an open session and provide the general public all the documents which we have and which we used to indict public officials who profited from unwholesome deals. I have a fear that Osinbajo committee will end up as in-house or family affair as it is. So, I call on the Federal Government to make everything public for Nigerians to know,” the senator representing Kaduna central said.
A source quoted in the report said the DG maintained his stand that he informed the NSA, Major-General Babagana Monguno, who is a member of the committee, about the money.
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