President Buhari’s critics on Friday carpeted his government for
allegedly lying about the terms of reference of the latest interim
reports on the ongoing probe into arms procurement by successive
governments since 2007.
Mr. Buhari had on August 24, 2015, raised the Committee on Audit of
Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces to keep with
his “determination to stamp out corruption and irregularities in
Nigeria’s public service.”
But many are now raising concerns not about what the committee
included in its latest report but what it might have deliberately left
out.
The investigative committee submitted its third interim report on
Thursday which detailed how former senior military officers, political
appointees and private individuals allegedly channeled security funds
into their pockets while the war against Boko Haram floundered.
Among the big names the report indicted were Azubuike Ihejirika and
Kenneth Minimah. Both served as Chief of Army Staff under President
Goodluck Jonathan.
But government critics immediately raised concerns about the
exclusion of the name of a close ally of Mr. Buhari and the current
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazzau.
Mr. Dambazzau served as the chief of army staff between 2008 and 2010
and critics said it was highly curious that he was not investigated
even when the probe was designed to capture all procurements from 2007
to 2015.
Our findings show that those accusing government of doctoring its latest arms panel may have a point.
Buhari Government’s Claim
In an attempt to ward off allegation of bias, the Buhari government,
via a statement from the office of the Minister of Information and
Culture, Lai Mohammed, said Mr. Dambazau’s name was not included among
those indicted because the third interim report only looked into
procurement and contracts awarded for and by the military between
2011-2015.
“When the documents regarding procurement from 2007 to 2010 are
available and scrutinised, the committee will then issue its report on
that,” Mr. Mohammed said in a statement signed by his media adviser
Segun Adeyemi.
“The audit is being done in phases, and the report that was released on Thursday is the third of such.”
The Facts:
A PREMIUM TIMES’ examination of the report showed that the terms of
reference in its heading said it queried all procurement from 2007 to
2015.
“Press Release on the Third Interim Report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement from 2007 to 2015,” it read.
The first paragraph of the seven-page report also indicated the 13-member committee used 2007-2015 as reference.
“In continuation of its assignment, the Committee on Audit of Defence
Equipment Procurement (CADEP) in the Nigerian Armed Forces, analysed
procurement contracts awarded by or for the Nigerian Army between 2007 and 2015.”
PREMIUM TIMES also observed that in page two of the report, the
committee looked into procurement far back as 2005, two years earlier
than 2007.
“Similarly, between 29 April 2005 and 19 October 2010,
the MOD (Ministry of Defence) awarded 2 contracts to Progress Limited
for the supply of 42 units of BTR-3U Armoured Personnel Carriers and
spare parts for the Nigerian Army.
“However, neither the MOD nor the NA could provide the contract
agreements to ascertain the cost of the APCs. Although 26 of the APCs
were delivered in 2007 and immediately deployed for Peace Keeping
Operations in Sudan, the APCs scandalously broke down on induction,” the
report read in part.
In page four where the committee looked into tax infractions in the
military, it was also revealed that the members looked beyond 2011.
“The Committee observed breaches of laws and regulations on payments
of With-holding Tax (WHT) and Value Added Tax (VAT). The unremitted WHT
from 2007 to 2015 amounted to about N862,962,065.99, $2,093,710.06 and €2,700.00 respectively.”
Source:Premium Times
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