By Adedayo Akinwale and Udora Orizu
The House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on Arms and Ammunition has summoned the Chief of Army Staff, (CoAS), Lt. Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),Mr. Godwin Emefiele to appear before it and clarify issues and as well account for the monies released for the purchase of arms by Nigerian Army.
The summon was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Hon. Bede Eke at its sitting yesterday, to investigate the purchase of arms and ammunition by the military and paramilitary in the country.
The public officers had earlier on Friday, March 12, 2021 failed to appear before the committee.
Moving the motion, Eke said that the summon became necessary following the refusal of the public officers to honour several invitations extended to them by the committee.
He said that the committee has invited the COAS four times and the CBN governor five times and they have refused to honour the invitation.
The lawmaker said, ‘’CBN has been a problem to this house and they cannot operate the way they are operating and this House will keep quiet because we approve their budget. What are we asking for? Come and tell us how much we have paid for the purchase of arms; we have given you the right to fair hearing.
‘’Are you hiding anything? We will not allow it; if there is something you are hiding because you are CBN, we will not allow it. People are being killed everyday. I want to move a motion because we do not have time; we come here everyday, sit for hours and wait for a government agency. I move that we summon especially the COAS and CBN; enough is enough; let them be summoned, that is when they will know we are serious.’’
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Olaide Akinremi, said that the committee expected the Ministries of Finance, Defence, Interior, CBN, COAS and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to appear.
He said that the Ministry of Defence had earlier written to the committee to seek a later date to appear and it was granted.
Akinremi said that committee had been waiting for three hours for the invited public officers but they failed to show up.
The lawmakers thereby fixed Wednesday, April 7, for the public officers to appear.
