Arms Procurement Probe: CSOs Urge Defence Ministry to Provide More Details

By Kingsley Nwezeh

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Wednesday called on the Ministry of Defence to set the records straight by providing details of the controversial $1billion arms procurement for the military which is the subject of investigation by the House of Representatives.

The group also urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, who appeared before an investigative committee of the House of Representatives, to speak on available records before him.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Convener, Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria and President, Good Governance Advocacy Initiative, Comrade Mustapha Tijani, said the clarification by the ministry had become imperative in view of the impression created in some quarters that the former service chiefs handled arms procurement when it was the responsibility of the ministry to do so.

“We demand that the Ministry of Defence that is directly responsible for such transactions to come out clean on this matter, rather than painting pictures that leaves the public confused, thereby fuelling unfounded conspiracy theories”, it said.

On the appearance of the army chief before the legislature, he said Attahiru should speak on available records and not stir an atmosphere of suspension.

“The incumbent Chief of Army Staff, Major General Attahiru, was asked questions on the purchase of arms, instead of stating the obvious as contained in the records, he was said to have referred the committee to ask his predecessors and not him, although he didn’t mention the particular predecessor, the sponsors of falsehood have instigated a session of the media to twist the statement as though it was directed to the immediate past service chiefs.

“While we do not want to join issues with the current Chief of Army Staff, we are aware that government is a continuoum, hence he should be able to speak based on available records and not stir atmosphere of suspension”, he said.

The coalition urged the Chief of Army Staff to be “more civil and professional in his approach to such issues and be careful of not giving the fifth columnists the undeserving opportunity to cash in on his statements and actions, especially on matters that are clearly official”.