Arms procurement scam can’t happen under Buhari – Presidency 1
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Arms procurement scam can’t happen under Buhari – Presidency

The Presidency on Friday dismissed reports on the missing arms procurement funds under the watch of the immediate past service chiefs.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), had reportedly told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in an interview that funds meant for the purchase of arms to fight the insurgents and bandits in the Northern part of the country was declared missing under the watch of Lt. Gen Abayomi Olonisakin (retd), Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai (retd), Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (retd), and Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar (retd).

The quartet who were removed by President Muhammadu Buhari last month had also retired from service.

The NSA had since claimed that he was quoted of context by a section of the media in his interview with the BBC.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, who featured in a Channels Television programme, Politics Today, said the NSA did not accuse the former military chiefs of misappropriation funds.

He said the Monguno’s interview was misconstrued and mistranslated by the media.

The presidential aide said request for arms procurements had been made for military but they were yet to be delivered.

Shehu insisted that cases of missing funds can’t happen under President Buhari’s watch.

He said: “About the $1billion taken from the Excess Crude Account with the consent of state governors used for military procurements, I want to assure you that nothing of that money is missing.

“The reference by it in the interview of the BBC Hausa Service by the National Security Adviser has been misconstrued and mistranslated.

“NSA made two critical points –one is that we don’t have enough weapons which is a statement of facts; and two procurements made have not been fully delivered.

“At no point did the NSA say that money has been misappropriated and that no arms is seen. They have not been delivered, that is correct; these are things you don’t get off the shelves.”

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