₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan of deliberately provoking Nigerian soldiers into mutiny by its actions and turning round to arrest and prosecute the soldiers.

He said the past administration, while fighting terrorists, sent soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition.

Buhari made the accusation in an interview he granted the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation and monitored by The PUNCH.

He said his administration’s investigation into the activities of the immediate past government revealed that instead of procuring arms and ammunition for the soldiers, funds meant for the equipment were shared by government officials.

He said, “We investigated and discovered how funds that were pencilled down for arms procurement were diverted and shared by government officials who served the last administration.

“The government at that time sent the soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition to prosecute the war. That was what led some of them to mutiny. They were arrested and detained because of this.”

Despite the December deadline he had earlier given the military to end terrorism in the affected part of the country, Buhari admitted that the country might not win the war completely by the end of the month.

He however said a lot of progress had been made by the military.

He said the terrorists themselves were aware that they could no longer take over communities and local governments like they were doing under the past administration.

“If people are going to be fair to us, they themselves know that the Army is winning the war. You can no longer find any huge number of Boko Haram members in Adamawa and Yobe; only may be, in about three local governments of Borno in the area around our borders with Chad Republic. They are no longer in position to threaten the country, so we have won,” he added.

Justifying the arrest and ongoing prosecution of arms scandal suspects, Buhari said the government would use documents that were already in its possession to prove to the courts that the suspects stole.

He added that their ill-gotten wealth would be confiscated and they would be jailed.

On the economy, the President said out of the nation’s N2.2tn debt, his administration inherited N1.5tn domestic debt while foreign debt accounted for N0.7tn.

He restated his position that Nigeria was not poor, but said the country was rich, lamenting that corruption remained the bane of development.

The President added that that was why his administration had been busy plugging the leakages in the revenue-generating agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation among others.

He explained that the money saved from the exercise would be properly utilised to run the country, especially in this era of dwindling oil price.

On the N5,000 monthly his administration promised to make available to the unemployed and the most vulnerable Nigerians, Buhari admitted that not all those who were in need of the money would get it.

He said governments at all levels would collaborate to identify those who would benefit.

In his reaction on Sunday, however, Jonathan said he didn’t plan to lose the Boko Haram war as being suggested by Buhari’s comments.

Rather, he said he tried to protect the constitution, which he said he sworn to defend when he assumed office.

The former President spoke through his Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, in a text message sent to one of our correspondents.

The former minister said the ex-President did everything within his power to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

He said, “No responsible government would strategise to loose a war. President Jonathan sworn to defend Nigeria sovereignty and territorial integrity and he did everything possible to achieve that height in the fight against the insurgents.

“It is unfair therefore for Mr President to perceive such efforts by his predecessor as criminal and treasonable.

“The President should, in an attempt to build this country, make such pronouncements that would further unite us as a people than that those that would divide us. Posterity will judge everybody.”

The government at that time sent the soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition to prosecute the war. That was what led some of them to mutiny. They were arrested and detained because of this.”
Despite the December deadline he had earlier given the military to end terrorism in the affected part of the country, Buhari admitted that the country might not win the war completely by the end of the month.
He however said a lot of progress had been made by the military.

He said the terrorists themselves were aware that they could no longer take over communities and local governments like they were doing under the past administration.
“If people are going to be fair to us, they themselves know that the Army is winning the war. You can no longer find any huge number of Boko Haram members in Adamawa and Yobe; only may be, in about three local governments of Borno in the area around our borders with Chad Republic. They are no longer in position to threaten the country, so we have won,” he added

robosky02:
President Muhammadu Buhari has accused the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan of deliberately provoking Nigerian soldiers into mutiny by its actions and turning round to arrest and prosecute the soldiers.
He said the past administration, while fighting terrorists, sent soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition.
Buhari made the accusation in an interview he granted the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation and monitored by The PUNCH.

He said his administration’s investigation into the activities of the immediate past government revealed that instead of procuring arms and ammunition for the soldiers, funds meant for the equipment were shared by government officials.
He said, “We investigated and discovered how funds that were pencilled down for arms procurement were diverted and shared by government officials who served the last administration.

“The government at that time sent the soldiers to the battlefield without arms and ammunition to prosecute the war. That was what led some of them to mutiny. They were arrested and detained because of this.”
Despite the December deadline he had earlier given the military to end terrorism in the affected part of the country, Buhari admitted that the country might not win the war completely by the end of the month.
He however said a lot of progress had been made by the military.

He said the terrorists themselves were aware that they could no longer take over communities and local governments like they were doing under the past administration.
“If people are going to be fair to us, they themselves know that the Army is winning the war. You can no longer find any huge number of Boko Haram members in Adamawa and Yobe; only may be, in about three local governments of Borno in the area around our borders with Chad Republic. They are no longer in position to threaten the country, so we have won,” he added.
Justifying the arrest and ongoing prosecution of arms scandal suspects, Buhari said the government would use documents that were already in its possession to prove to the courts that the suspects stole.
He added that their ill-gotten wealth would be confiscated and they would be jailed.

On the economy, the President said out of the nation’s N2.2tn debt, his administration inherited N1.5tn domestic debt while foreign debt accounted for N0.7tn.
He restated his position that Nigeria was not poor, but said the country was rich, lamenting that corruption remained the bane of development.

The President added that that was why his administration had been busy plugging the leakages in the revenue-generating agencies such as the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation among others.
He explained that the money saved from the exercise would be properly utilised to run the country, especially in this era of dwindling oil price.
On the N5,000 monthly his administration promised to make available to the unemployed and the most vulnerable Nigerians, Buhari admitted that not all those who were in need of the money would get it.

He said governments at all levels would collaborate to identify those who would benefit.
In his reaction on Sunday, however, Jonathan said he didn’t plan to lose the Boko Haram war as being suggested by Buhari’s comments.
Rather, he said he tried to protect the constitution, which he said he sworn to defend when he assumed office.
The former President spoke through his Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, in a text message sent to one of our correspondents.

The former minister said the ex-President did everything within his power to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
He said, “No responsible government would strategise to loose a war. President Jonathan sworn to defend Nigeria sovereignty and territorial integrity and he did everything possible to achieve that height in the fight against the insurgents.
“It is unfair therefore for Mr President to perceive such efforts by his predecessor as criminal and treasonable.
“The President should, in an attempt to build this country, make such pronouncements that would further unite us as a people than that those that would divide us. Posterity will judge everybody.”

cc:lalasticlala
http://www.punchng.com/jonathans-govt-provoked-soldiers-into-mutiny-buhari/

rainbowman:
It is quite unbelievable that the former President is being blamed for an action that occurred at the tactical level. For the avoidance of doubt, arms are issued to soldiers at the tactical level and the President operates at the grand strategic level of war. At that level, he is concerned with coordinating the instrument of national power towards attaining national objectives. Decisions concerning the amount of bullets given to troops are within the purview of the battalion commander who operates at the tactical level. One can not even blame a GOC about the amount of bullets given to troops talk less of the President. For instance if you are the CEO of KONGA, you are concerned with the policy direction of your company at the strategic level. If you are faced with a challenge lets say a debt being owed by an uncooperative customer, you decide whether you would negotiate (diplomatic instrument), sanction dealings with him (economic instrument) or engage a debt collector (military instrument). You are not the one to tell the debt collector how to go about his business as those options are best left to him.

fulanimafia:
My friend before arms are distributed at the 'tactical level', they have to have been made available by the authorities at the 'strategic level' (viz-a-viz Jonathan).

The clear point being made here is that Jonathan wickedly and selfishly diverted the funds meant to provide these arms and ammunition to defeat Boko Haram, which were diverted to his failed re-election campaign at the cost of thousands of innocent Nigerian lives, and thereby frustrating the soldiers into committing mutiny.

President Buhari is not just sharing petty blame, but is simply laying the foundation for the heavy corruption and human rights violation charges that will keep Jonathan behind bars for a very long time.

rainbowman:
I can recall several videos where the insurgents displayed several weapons and ammunition seized from some of our troops. You must understand that the military is a learning organization, a professional one that should not be brought into politics. There is no point for us to have this conversation.

rainbowman:
It is quite unbelievable that the former President is being blamed for an action that occurred at the tactical level. For the avoidance of doubt, arms are issued to soldiers at the tactical level and the President operates at the grand strategic level of war. At that level, he is concerned with coordinating the instrument of national power towards attaining national objectives. Decisions concerning the amount of bullets given to troops are within the purview of the battalion commander who operates at the tactical level. One can not even blame a GOC about the amount of bullets given to troops talk less of the President. For instance if you are the CEO of KONGA, you are concerned with the policy direction of your company at the strategic level. If you are faced with a challenge lets say a debt being owed by an uncooperative customer, you decide whether you would negotiate (diplomatic instrument), sanction dealings with him (economic instrument) or engage a debt collector (military instrument). You are not the one to tell the debt collector how to go about his business as those options are best left to him.

400billionman:
Empty old man.

7 months under your watch, economy washed away, you still on the Blame Game.

fulanimafia:
Empty young man, $2.1 billion of your commonwealth was diverted by Jonathan, yet you're wondering why the economy has been 'washed away' and you're still blaming Buhari.

alcmene:
Oh I hate this Daura urchin with so much passion.

His actions and inactions irritates me so much that I don't mind supporting the mere commissioner to take over though I know they are just a retinue of mentally inept nincompoops.

Oh I despise this ragamuffin of deceiver called Buhari... I can't help hating this kleptomaniac Daura nomad and his equally diminutive thief OSUNBADE

400billionman:
I dont give excuses.

I take charge and responsibility. And produce positive results.

I am more experienced than your old dullard.

fulanimafia:
Yet you're irrelevant and he's the President?

Worthless experience.

francizy:
He's irrelevant says who?

Do you know him outside Nairaland?

Or you just feel it's convenient to lash on him just because he criticized your god in Aso Rock?

Mind you, he's one of the businessmen your daura god's useless policies are affecting.

He's one of the businessmen restricted in trade by your daura messiah.

He doesn't have access to dollars in order to transact businesses outside Nigeria which will help grow his business, create more employment and pay tax to your daura god.

He has every 4king right to criticize your daura god cuz not everyone is blinded by the useless change "blame" mantra.

fitzmayowa:
One question comes to mind, the weapons our soldiers are using to fight the terrorist was gotten from which administration? Or has PMB led government bought a single bullet

Why is this government always do the blame game was it right for the soldiers to commit mutiny? why does PMB like playing to the gallery by throwing blames

Enough of this blame games already...SMH