There seems to be Discordant tunes among principal actors at the presidency over the alleged missing billions approved for purchase of weapons as well as the incessant kidnappings of students in the north.
It started with presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu who on Channels Television programme said while the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno’s (Rtd) statement on the BBC interview was ‘misconstrued and mistranslated’ by some people for obvious political reasons, Hadi Sirika, aviation minister, on the other hand, did not actually say that the Jangebe schoolchildren abduction was going to be the last but, that, ‘they hope it would be the last.’
Monguno (Rtd) had during the
BBC Hausa service interview on Friday, raised an alarm over missing billions of naira approved for purchase of weapons under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said when the newly appointed Service Chiefs assumed office, they did not find the weapons that their predecessors ought to have purchased.
The former service chiefs are: ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin; former Chief of Army Staff; Tukur Buratai, former Chief of Naval Staff; Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; and former Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.
President Buhari has since appointed them as Ambassadors after their voluntary resignation from service, despite opposition from majority of Nigerians.
Monguno said the failure of the security personnel to get adequate weapons is a setback to the fight against insecurity.
“It is not that we are not working to end the security challenge in the country. The president has done his own part and allocated huge amount of money to purchase 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.”
On whether investigation has commenced on the issue, the NSA said: “I am sure the President will investigate this. 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 coming. Maybe from America, England and other places but as at now, I didn’t see anything and the Service Chiefs too didn’t see any weapons too.”
He said President Buhari directed the new Service Chiefs to end insurgency within a short period of time, adding that the president is committed to ending insecurity.
On whether the federal government will dialogue with bandits, the retired Major General said “You can only dialogue with people that stick to promise and will not deceive people and the government. Those people are not in good position to dialogue with them because they are not worth it. People are insisting we must dialogue while they are not good people that you can dialogue with. They only want to continue killing people and government will not tolerate that.”
He added that government has to show them that it is strong enough to fight them.
But Shehu spirutedly said on the television interview that ” Nothing was missing from the $”1billion earmarked for arms procurement.“
He said that most of the payments were made on government to government accounts basis, adding that it was based on procurement order which takes some time.
He also said while some deliveries have been made while others are coming in pieces and bits.
“Some people are only being political on the issue,” he said.
Sirika was alleged to have said when he paid visit to Zamfara state after the release of the girls that President Buhari was committed to securing Nigerians adding that the Jangebe abduction was going to be the last.
But Shehu insisted that Sirika actually corrected himself there by saying that the predident was hoping that it would be the last.
But, Dennis Amachree, former DSS officer and security consultant said the only way out is for some actions, like adequate security such as fencing and adequate quick response system, among others must have to be put in place before we can think of eliminating the menace.
Another analyst who pleaded for anonymity said. ” The back and forth by government functionaries will not help the situation unless presidency shows more determination and commitment to end the innocent killings and destruction in the land. ”
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