The National Intelligence Agency on Thursday revealed why the agency blocked the arrest of a former DG of the agency, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Acting Director General of the Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Dauda, gave the reasons before a Senate ad hoc committee.
Dauda said the move to arrest the former DG was first reported in the media even before the EFCC concluded on its position on the issue.
He added that NIA is a secret service whose operation are clandestine and highly classified.
Accordingly, he said it is normal to shield the Agency from further negative publicity.
The Acting DG said there was no official communication to the agency from the EFCC on the exact mission of its operatives to the “residence” of Oke.
Dauda denied knowledge of any letter from the Acting chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, requesting for the surrender of the former DG of the NIA, adding that the only letter received from the EFCC chairman was a threat to report the conduct of the NIA to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking before the Senate ad-hoc committee, Dauda regretted that the EFCC under Magu has been hostile to and uncooperative with the NIA, leading to the massive withdrawal of NIA operatives from the Service of the EFCC.