By Abiola Olawale
The presidency has reacted to the controversy trailing the allegations of missing $1 billion arms’ fund under during the tenure of the immediate past military chiefs.
Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), the National Security Adviser (NSA) was quoted in many news reports to have said the $1billion withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account, in 2018, meant for arms procurement was missing.
However, in a statement issued by the office of the NSA, Monguno debunked the viral reports, stating that his interview with the BBC Hausa Service was misquoted and mistranslated.
Meanwhile, Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, has clarified the controversy surrounding the arms procurement fund, stating that the fund was paid directly to the countries supplying the arms.
Shehu, stated this on Friday during an interview session on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He, however, disclosed that some arms have not been delivered due to some hindrances in negotiations, specifically stating that the arms coming from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were delayed due to certain diplomacy issues.
He also assured that the Federal Government is working tirelessly to ensure that all the arms procured are all delivered.
In his words, “I imagine that you are talking about the $1 billion taken from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) with the consent of state governors and was used for military procurement. I want to assure you that nothing of that money is missing. The reference by it in the interview with Hausa Service of the BBC by the National Security Adviser, I think, has been misconstrued and mistranslated. In August 2018, they (the US) allowed the Nigerian Government to buy 12 Super Tucano aircraft suitable for the kind of war we are fighting in the North East. In addition to that, other arms of the military have also made procurements. The Nigerian Navy has done nearly 100 per cent of their procurements equipment delivered; the Nigerian Air Force has bought a number of attack helicopters – 35 i-helicopters from Ukraine. As I speak to you, it is held up in a situation which only diplomacy will resolve. The Nigerian Minister of Defence actually had a meeting with the Ambassador of the UAE to Nigeria and the idea is to resolve this so that these equipment held up will be released. We need them here, all these procurements are ongoing; nothing can be bought on the shelf, they are bought on order. The NSA did not make accusations of misappropriation because there is none in dealing with this matter.”
