Published 12th Mar, 2021

By FIJ

Huge sums of money approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for purchase of weapons cannot be accounted for, Babagana Monguno, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, has said.

He said when the recently appointed service chiefs assumed office, they did not find the weapons that their predecessors ought to have purchased.

Monguno said this on Friday in an interview with BBC Hausa service, monitored by Daily Trust.

“It is not that we are not working to end the security challenge in the country,” he said.

“The President has done his own part and allocated huge amount of money to the purchase of weapons but they are yet to be here. We don’t know where they are.”

“I am not saying that the past Service Chiefs have diverted the money, but presently we don’t know where the money is.”

He described the failure of the service chiefs to purchase the weapons as a setback to the fight against insecurity

“I am sure the President will investigate this,” he said.

“As I am talking to you now, even the Nigerian Governors’ Forum has started questioning where the money is. So I assure you that the President is not playing with anything that has to do with the people.

“I can’t say the money was stolen but we didn’t see anything and even the new Service Chiefs said they didn’t see the weapons. It is possible the weapons are on their way. Maybe from America, England and other places but as at now, I didn’t see anything and the [new] service chiefs too didn’t see any weapons too.”

Buhari replaced Abayomi Olonisakin, then Chief of Defence Staff; Tukur Buratai, then Chief of Army Staff; Ikot-Ete Ekwe Ibas, then Chief of Naval Staff and Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff, as service chiefs in January, then nominated them for non-career ambassadorial positions.

In their place came Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Isiaka Oladayo Amoo, Chief of Air Staff; and Awwal Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff.

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