President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday wielded the big stick for the first time since he assumed power on May 29. The casualty was the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla.

A report by US-based online paper THEWILL quoted an undisclosed source as saying that Otunla was removed from office because he allegedly misappropriated N2.5 billion of security agencies’ funds.

In a statement late Friday, the Office the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that President Buhari had approved the immediate sack of Otunla and the appointment of Mohammed Dikwa as Acting Accountant General.

The statement was silent on Otunla’s sin but said Dikwa would hold the position until a substantive replacement is announced.

Until his appointment as the Acting Accountant-General, Dikwa was the Director, Funds Department in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the statement said.

Mr. Dikwa has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy and a Master in Business Administration and Finance.

He attended the Senior Executive Course 34, 2014 at the National Institute of for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. He was awarded Certificates in Public Finance Management Reforms, Leadership and Governance, High Performance Leadership Programme and Treasury Management at the Harvard University USA, University of Cambridge, Oxford University UK and Thames Valley University UK respectively.

Mr. Dikwa is a Fellow, Certified National Accountant and Fellow Charted Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, among others.

He has facilitated and attended many Courses, Workshops and Seminars, the statement said.

•Photo shows Otunla.