A socio-political group, the One Nigeria Movement (ONM) has described
the statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA),
denying the claim by the NSA, General Babagana Monguno (rtd), that
neither the money approved by Buhari for arm purchase nor arms was met
on ground when the new service chiefs assumed office as afterthought.
The ONM, which also said the NSA was acting desperately to secure his
job inspite of his seeming failure and also shield himself from
impending investigations, asked why he was plotting the arrest of the
immediate past Service Chiefs for trial by the International Criminal
Court (ICC).
Monguno had insinuated in an interview with the BBC Hausa that General
Abayomi Olonisakin, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, Vice Admiral
Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, recently retired
as Chief of Defense Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff
and Chief of Air Staff respectively, will be investigated for the
missing arms funds.
However, in an unsigned statement from the NSA office, it was claimed
that General Monguno was quoted out of context and that he did not
categorically say that funds meant for arms procurement were missing
under the former Service Chiefs.
However, reacting in a statement on Friday night, by its Convener
General, Ahmed
Sodiq-Mugoro and Secretary, Babatunde Aliyu, ONM, said there was more
to the denial of the allegation by the ONSA and Presidency than meet
the eyes.
The ONM said what the NSA said on the BBC Hausa service was clear and
unambiguous.
What he said was that neither the money approved for arm purchase nor
arms was met on ground when the new service chiefs assumed office. He
went further to say that preliminary investigation showed the funds
are missing and the equipment is nowhere to be found.
So how was the NSA quoted out of context? Or was he that the BBC Hausa
Service aired a different interview entirely from the one it had with
the NSA?
To us, Nigerians wants to know the truth. Nigerians want to know
what happened to the billions of dollars released to purchase arms.
And most importantly, Nigerians want to know the role played by the
NSA in all these because General Monguno cannot claim to be unaware of
the missing funds and non availability of arms when the former Service
Chiefs were still in office? Why did he not talk then?
Finally, how far has the NSA gone in his plot to get the former
Service Chiefs, especially the ex Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur
Buratai (Rtd) arrested and tried by the ICC?
