👤 Exclusive: By Danjuma Aliyu, DENISAURUS News

Most moviegoers would be familiar with agent 007 and assuredly, many who have seen the film, James Bond, would have an inclination on the working of a secret intelligence service such as the MI6.

Secret service such as the NIA take certain action in protecting a country from outside terror. Having watched some of the James Bond films, one thing that is certain is the secrecy in the operations and activities of spy agencies such as the MI6, NIA, or DSS.

Not all of their operations is spoken of in the public sphere!

So when, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Mustafa Magu claimed to have recovered the sum of $43 million, £27,000 and N23 million, belonging to the NIA, in a flat in Ikoyi, Lagos state, security personnel conveyed their worries to DENISAURUS News.

According to an EFCC staff, the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, made an attempt to speak to their boss about the money before the raid. However, Mr Magu looking to score a point – in the hope that it will secure his confirmation, went ahead with the raid.

Those in the security circle, familiar with the dealings of the NIA expressed their worries about Mr Magu’s failure to see reasons about the money which they say was authorised by the former President for its ‘covert operations’.

The DG NIA, Ayo Oke claims to have informed the NSA chief, Babagana Monguno, rtd, about the operation for which it needed the money.

In an interview with DENISAURUS News, a very reliable security source explained the legality of the National Intelligence Agency using a third party to acquire its 7B Osborne Ikoyi Apartment.

The information was given contrary to the information given by a publication, Sahara Reporters, which is an ally to Mr Magu that often distorts facts just to save the head of the anti-graft agency’s boss.

In its own report, Sahara Reporters claimed it got a true account from a whistle-blower, who alleged that the wife of Director General NIA, was the one managing the apartment, hence inferring that she must have been laundering the discovered $50m for her husband, DG-NIA Ayodele Oke.

However, a security expert who spoke to reporters from DENISAURUS News said, “in most Secret and Intelligence agencies, the spouses of Operatives or officers of the agencies, assume the position of ‘partime-operatives’. In other words, the spouse of an officer could be used by these agencies to carry out some operational ideas, reason being that they have become part of the family of the secret agencies.

“Therefore, the whole charade being created by unintelligent SR and its paymaster, alluding that the Osborne Ikoyi Apartment, was another way by the DG NIA to cover his money laundering, using his wife, can only be regarded as the biggest lie of the century and figment of their imagination.”

DENISAURUS News gathered that on the purchase of the said Ikoyi apartment by NIA, as its own safe house, that most secret agencies do not disclose their structures.

A security personnel who spoke to this newspaper argued “An apartment belonging to an individual would not have raise suspicion in the sense of security. That is why, even in the acquisition of the Osborne Ikoyi apartment, the NIA would not have used its name when purchasing the property from its owner.

“Rather, the supposed company name of the wife of the DG NIA or any Senior Management Officer may have been used. Whereby, at a later period, the ownership swap can be made back to the NIA. Unfortunately, there could also be a possibility that, even most staff of the agency, NIA, may not know about such transaction of acquisition. Except on a need to know basis, or at the top management level.

“We all must understand one basic fact, only for this covert operation being botched by Mr Magu, many Nigerians do know about the Security and Intelligence agency called NIA. This has now blown their cover, as the act perpetrated by Mr Magu can only be likened to one who is not fit to be in such intelligence circle, as well proves the Department of States Services allegations that Mr Magu, is a “liability to the Anti-graft war of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

President Buhari recently ordered an investigation into the discovered money. Mr Oke, the DG NIA has been suspended pending the results of the investigation.

Government source suggests, “PMB must know that, ordering an investigation by the godfather of Mr Magu, NSA Babagana Monguno, is sure a passport to saving the anti-graft agency’s boss from indictment and the embarrassments he caused this present administration.

“This goes to show that, as this government continues to disregard a professional advice from the Director General of the DSS, Lawal M Daura on Mr Magu, despite commendation from two United States Presidents, more and more embarrassment would be witnessed from the ineptitude of Mr Magu.”