The NIA boss Oke did not cry after suspension presidency

- Presidential media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, describes media reports that the DG of NIA, Ayo Oke, cried after he learnt about his suspension as unfair and uncharitable

- Garba Shehu says the DG did not cry as widely reported in the social and some traditional media

- The spokesperson states that no one could have seen Ayo Oke crying as he was in an SUV with darkened windows

The presidency has dismissed media reports that the suspended director general of the national intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, had cried after he learnt about his suspension.

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Supernaij recalls that the suspended director general of the NIA was reported to have wept as he made frantic efforts to enter the Presidential Villa, following his suspension on Wednesday, April 19.

But the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who spoke on the incident in Abuja on Thursday, April 20, described the reports as “unfair and uncharitable.’’

The presidency has said the NIA boss was in an SUV with darkened windows.
He stated that witnesses to Oke’s visit to the vice president on the fateful day and his own personal account clearly indicated that the DG did not cry as widely reported in the social and some traditional media, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The presidential media aide, who narrated how the incident happened, said: “the widespread reports that Oke of the National Intelligence Agency had cried are unfair and uncharitable.

“Witnesses to his visit to the Vice President and his own personal account, said that Oke arrived to a swarm of journalists which he wanted to avoid.

“He asked his driver to make a quick turn and instead, he headed to the Glass House, the headquarters of the Department of State Services.

“From there, he put a call to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, and requested that he help to clear the journalists so that he can make a quiet entry to the VP’s office and that is what happened.

“In an SUV with darkened windows, no one could have seen an occupant crying.’’

NAIJ.com recalls that vice-president Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday met separately with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir Lawal and the NIA DG, Ayo Oke, barely an hour after the announcement Lawal’s and Oke’s suspension from office.

Supernaij learnt that the closed-door meeting was in connection with the work of the presidential committee set up to investigate allegations of misconduct against the SGF and the DG, NIA.

The SGF refused to comment on the outcome of his meeting with the vice-president.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reports that Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was on Thursday, April 20, quizzed by the three-man presidential committee investigating the discovery of $43.4m (N13billion) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos state.

According to a report on Daily Trust, Magu faced the panel for over one hour at the Vice President's Wing of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He thereafter headed for the office of the Chief of Staff Abba Kyari.

Magu however denied appearing before the panel when Vanguard asked about his visit to Osinbajo’s office, venue of the meeting.