The funds were reportedly disbursed in two cash withdrawals between November 2014 and February, 2015 and were ferried in bullion vans to unknown destinations.
A total of N18 million, $19,000 and 4,000 Saudi riyals was recovered from the Abuja residence of former Governor of Gombe State and current member of the Senate, Danjuma Goje.
The funds were approved for NIA’s ‘covert operations’ by President Goodluck Jonathan and subsequently withdrawn in cash from NAPIMS account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
Buhari directed that the “most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF's office, and the most senior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.”
Director General of the NIA, Ayodele Oke, had said that the money, valued at N13 billion going by the current official exchange rate, had been released in cash by the CBN in order to maintain the discreet nature of the assignment for which it was approved.
