TheCable

Adebayo Somefun, managing director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), was at his office on Friday despite being suspended by Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment.

In a letter dated July 1 and addressed to Somefun, Ngige said President Muhammadu Buhari had approved his suspension.

Somefun was accused of “misappropriation and other gross misconduct.”

The managing director was instructed to hand over to the most senior official in the board, and face a panel that would investigate procurement of the agency from 2017.

Subsequently, the minister approved that Kelly Nwagha, general manager of health, safety and environment, being the most senior official in the agency, assume the position of acting managing director.

However, the Somefun-led management rejected the suspension, saying that Buhari did not give such directives.

TheCable gathered that Somefun was at the office on Friday but left after a short period.

“I can confirm to you that he was at the office today (Friday) but he did not stay very long,” a source at the agency told TheCable.

In May, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), said ministers do not have powers to remove or suspend heads of agencies.