The Presidency has demanded an inquiry into the civil service system, aiming to root out individuals deemed as “moles” with allegiance to the major opposition party, the PDP. These alleged moles are suspected of leaking classified documents without authorization.
A recent leaked internal memo suggested that President Tinubu authorized the disbursement of N500 million from a total of N1 billion to Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The earmarked funds were intended for the inauguration of a 37-member Tripartite Committee tasked with deliberating on the New National Minimum Wage.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stressed the importance of the Federal Government taking decisive action to identify and expel individuals responsible for leaking classified documents and suspected to have ties to the opposition. He emphasized that this action is vital for safeguarding sensitive information.
Onanuga further expressed concern over the leakage of memos, questioning how a memo authored by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and bearing the President’s signature was made public. He indicated that such actions indicate the presence of individuals within the government working against its interests.
He highlighted previous instances of memo leaks, including one during the President’s visit to the UN General Assembly, raising the need for the government to internally investigate how official communications are being disclosed to the public.
“This step is crucial in ensuring the security and maintenance of sensitive information,” Onanuga emphasized, noting that “memos that are supposed to be secret are not supposed to be flying all over the place.”
The call for a purge within the civil service reflects the government’s determination to address the breach of confidential information and maintain the integrity of official communications.
