The National Security Adviser to the President, Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno (retd.), has bemoaned the unaccounted funds meant for the purchase of arms to strengthen the country’s anti-terror war under the leadership of the ex-service chiefs.
The ex-service chiefs are Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin (retd.); Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.); Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (retd.); and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (retd.).
Monguno made this assertion during an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, March 12.
The NSA said, “No one knows what happened to the money but by God’s grace, the president will investigate to find out whether the money was spent and where the arms went.”
Also Read: AIB hands over investigation into Air Peace’s burst tyre to NCAA
He further stated that the new service chiefs have not seen any of the arms that the funds were supposed to be used to procure.
1st News had reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had appointed Buratai, Olonisakin, Ibas and Abubakar in July 2015.
However, Buhari replaced them in January 2021 after a persistent clamour from Nigerians that he introduce fresh blood in the country’s anti-terror war; especially against Boko Haram in Nigeria’s North-East region.
The new service chiefs are Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Ibrahim Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff; Vice Admiral A.Z Gambo; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amoo.
In an earlier interview, Monguno had stated that the President has released a lot of funds; for the military to purchase firepower and win the insurgency fight.
He also said that the Federal Government was not interested in dialogue; with terrorists, bandits and other criminals as negotiation paints the government as weak and incapable.
The NSA, therefore, vowed that the military, headed by the new chiefs has what it takes to crush the enemies of the Nigerian state; without the help of mercenaries.
