The 13-man investigative committee set up to
probe the procurement of hardware and
ammunition in the Armed Forces has started
its sitting, albeit in camera, The PUNCH has
learnt.
The committee has been meeting in the office
of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen.
Babagana Monguno (retd.), a source in the
Presidency confided in The PUNCH on
Wednesday.
The source said, “I can confirm to you that the
committee members have started meeting.
They even started meeting before their
appointments were announced. This is
because they do not need any confirmation or
any formal inauguration.
“Available information showed that members
are getting the needed assistance and support
from interested parties.
“It is the government’s belief that a lot of
ground would be covered by the committee in
its desire to ascertain what went wrong in the
past as far as the procurement of arms is
concerned.”
Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina,
had on Monday announced the composition of
the committee, which is saddled with the
responsibility of probing arms purchase from
2007 till now.
Adesina had said the President directed the
NSA to set up the committee with the
mandate of identifying irregularities and
making recommendations for streamlining the
procurement process in the Armed Forces.
Members of the committee include AVM
J.O.N. Ode (retd.) –chairman; R/Adm. J. A.
Aikhomu (retd.); R/Adm. E. Ogbor (retd.);
Brig. Gen L. Adekagun (retd.); Brig. Gen. M.
Aminu-Kano (retd.); Brig. Gen. N. Rimtip
(retd.); Cdre. T.D. Ikoli; Air Cdre U.
Mohammed (retd.); Air Cdre I. Shafi’i; Col.
A.A. Ariyibi; Group Capt. C.A. Oriaku (retd.);
Mr. I. Magu (EFCC); and Brig. Gen Y.I.
Shalangwa – Secretary.
Adesina explained that the establishment of
the committee was in keeping with Buhari’s
determination to stamp out corruption and
irregularities in Nigeria’s public service.
He added, “It (the committee) comes against
the background of the myriad of challenges
that the Nigerian Armed Forces have faced in
the course of ongoing counter-insurgency
operations in the North-East, including the
apparent deficit in military platforms with its
attendant negative effects of troops’ morale.
“The committee will specifically investigate
allegations of non-adherence to correct
equipment procurement procedures and the
exclusion of relevant logistics branches from
arms procurement under past administrations,
which, very often resulted in the acquisition of
sub-standard and unserviceable equipment.”
No timeline was given for the committee to
carry out its assignment.
Meanwhile, South Africa has said that it is not
involved in the investigation into the purchase
of arms by the administrations of late
President Umaru Yar’Adua and former
President Goodluck Jonathan.
It described the arms probe panel as a
Nigerian affair, saying it did not involve in the
aborted botched $15m arms deal by the
administration of Jonathan in 2014.
The South Africa’s High Commissioner in
Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, stated this in a
telephone interview with our correspondent on
Wednesday.
Mnguni was asked to react to a report that
South Africa might be invited by the Buhari’s
arms deal probe panel.
Also asked if his commission would appear
before the panel if summoned, the envoy said
his mission had nothing to do with the failed
arms deals, stressing that it was purely a
Nigerian issue.
He added that the South African mission
would be guided by directives from the home
government, noting that the embassy was a
member of the diplomatic community which
only follows official instructions.
“We don’t know anything about the arms
issue; that is a Nigerian matter. We are not
involved. You know what, we are guided by
our government and you must also know that
we are in the diplomatic community,” he said. http://www.punchng.com/news/arms-deals-panel-begins-sitting-in-abuja/

Good. Let's do this and...


Let's not dull ourselves. We too must make some dough outta this.