The source alleged widespread corruption, misconduct, and abuse of office within the DIA, claiming that hundreds of billions of naira have been embezzled through the agency by its military leadership, flouting due process, transparency, and accountability.
An anonymous source within the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to probe the agency.
The writer urged the President to establish a Special Investigative Committee of Inquiry, led by the Attorney General of the Federation, to conduct a thorough investigation and forensic audit into spending of defence and security funds by the agency’s leadership over the past decade.
The source alleged widespread corruption, misconduct, and abuse of office within the DIA, claiming that hundreds of billions of naira have been embezzled through the agency by its military leadership, flouting due process, transparency, and accountability.
The source decried the agency's departure from its original purpose and demands a comprehensive inquiry to address the grievances.
According to the anonymous writer, the military leadership of the agency now see their official positions as not a call to serve "our fatherland, but as a conduit and avenue for the primitive accumulation of illegal wealth and self-aggrandizement".
The writer, therefore, called for a comprehensive investigation into DIA’s activities over the past 10 years, with special focus on the period between February 2021 and June 2023, during which Major General Samuel Abiodun Adebayo (Retd) served as the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
The source alleged that during this time, the agency received significant security funds, including Special Intervention Funds, in the final days of former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.
The source claimed that the funds were misappropriated through fraudulent means, including fictitious and inflated contracts, fake training programmes, and the use of proxy companies.
The investigation, the source hopes, will uncover the truth behind the alleged financial malfeasances.
Other recommendations to the president are to "carry out a holistic, detailed investigation and forensic audit into all defence and security spending by the Defence Intelligence Agency under the current Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanual Packer Undiandeye.
"Direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all the allegations of grand corruption, financial sleaze and misappropriation of the Agency's funds levied against all the individuals mentioned above.
"Direct the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the assets declared by the immediate past CDI, Major General Samuel Abiodun Adebayo, his Director of Finance and Accounts, Commodore Samuel Ngatuwa, his Principal General Staff Officer, Brigadier General Nonye Ebulue and his Coordinator, Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre, Brigadier General Aminu Abubakar Garba vis-a-viz their current assets.
"Issue a Presidential Instrument in accordance with the Establishment Act of the DIA directing the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Defence Staff to carry out a total reorganisation of the structure of the DIA to be in line with global best practices of Defence Intelligence Agencies around the globe, particularly the Defence Intelligence Agency of the United States of America."
The open letter is titled: "An Open Letter To His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-In-Chief Of The Armed Forces Federal Republic Of Nigeria, On The Grand Corruption, Breach Of Official Trust, Serious Financial Sleaze And Malfeasance, Maladministration As Well As Abuse Of Office In The Defence Intelligence Agency, Nigeria."
Lamenting the level of corruption and mismanagement of the agency, the writer reminded the President that the strength of a great nation is the security and well-being of its people.
"No country and government can prosper and achieve the twin purpose of government and better the lot of its citizenry without adequate and comprehensive security of lives and property," the writer said.
"This, Mr President, cannot be achieved with the high level of infractions taking place in the nation's premier intelligence agency," the writer said, adding, "Mr President, you can move from the vicious cycle of ‘this is how we have been doing it’ and ‘wait for your time mantra’ in the realm of our country's security and defence intelligence, to a virtuous cycle of ‘this is what will benefit my countrymen.’”
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