Babagana Monguno, national security adviser (NSA), says funds for arms purchase were missing under former service chiefs.
In January, President Muhammadu Buhari replaced Gabriel Olonisakin, Tukur Buratai, Ibok Ekwe Ibas, Sadique Abubakar respectively as chiefs of defence, army, navy and air force.
Lucky Irabor took over as chief of defence staff; Ibrahim Attahiru, chief of army staff; Awwal Gambo, chief of naval staff; and Isiaka Amao, chief of air staff.
In a BBC interview on Friday, Monguno said the new service chiefs did not meet the money approved for arms purchase when they assumed office.
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“We don’t know where the money went to. The president has given out some money for equipment but they are yet to arrive,” he said.
“The president has done his best by ensuring that he released exorbitant funds for the procurement of weapons which are yet to be procured, they are not there. Now the president has employed new hands that might come with new ideas. I am not saying that those that have retired have stolen the funds, no. But the funds might have been used in other ways unknown to anybody at present.
“Mr President is going to investigate those funds. As we are talking with you at present, the state governors, the Governors Forum have started raising questions in that direction. $1 billion has been released, that and that has been released, and nothing seem to be changing. So I assure you that the president will not take this lightly.
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“The funds are nowhere to be found and the weapons have not been seen and the newly appointed service chiefs have declared that they have not seen the weapons. Maybe they are on the high seas, on their way coming from wherever they were purchased, from the US or Europe, but for now there is nothing on ground. I have not seen anything the service chiefs have also not seen anything.”
Monguno added that the matter is being investigated.
In 2018, Buhari approved the release of $1 billion for the procurement of security equipment to fight Boko Haram insurgents.
There have, however, been complaints about lack of equipment and ammunition for the military that has been fighting the insurgency in the past 10 years.
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4 comments
So sad ! These service chiefs were given another appointments. During Jonathan’s regime the same thing happened. Leadership is also about monitoring whatever decision one has taken in the interest of the people. This government is lacking administrative skill and strength.
Meanwhile they have been awarded with ambassadorial position to go cool off the soldiers have been complaining about lack of weaponry since Gej regime under Badei we all know how that went $2.1b was shared amongst the ruling party & its members we heard the same cry from the soldiers under this regime with most summarily dismissed now we hear $1b earmarked for the arms gone with no arms in a country where corruption is the order of the day and no known audit ever carried out on the military none ever God why do we have such evil hearted people why imagine how many of our me0 & women in uniform have lost their lives as a result of not having the right equipment’s and you wonder why the war is still ongoing with Banditry/kidnapping the insecurity in the land
We should be mindful of how these things function. Bureaucracy in administration delay govt decisions especially if Nigeria. We should wait for the investigation to conclude, which though, may take some months before we can rightly say what actually happened to the monies. It may not only be the money for arms purchase alone. Others may show up too. So let’s be patient.
We always know that something is wrong , for me this news is not surprising. The problem is that no one will be hold accountable. Under their watch over 300 Galant Nigeria solider were slutter by Boko Haram only for the president to give them an ambassadoring position. This is shameful in other nation of this individual should be behind the bar. Are we saying that the president and the presidency didn’t know that the funds meant for the procurement of these weoponary were Misappropriated before shortlisted them for their new position? This government has fail in it mandate in fighting corruption, insecurities and economic property.