By Gideon Njoku
History may just be about to repeat itself. Or, has the kettle called the pot black?
Whatever.
Another Arms purchase scandal is about to explode, this time, under the President Muhammadu Buhari Government.
The urbane National Security Adviser, NSA, Rtd Major General Babagana Monguno, PhD, has opened a pandora box.
Monguno is not talkative. Just like the Director General of the Directorate of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, both men are not frivolous.
When any of them talks, one is bound to pause and listen.
They talk sparingly, only when it is necessary. They prefer to do their work quietly, without being in anybody’s face.
But Monguno has just detonated de bomb
In the middle of the growing insecurity in the land, Monguno has more than hinted that the newly appointed Service Chiefs are handicapped.
Why?
In fairness to the Muhammadu Buhari Government, it has spent tons of money on Security – for weapons. Yet, complaints persist, even from the frontlines, that our soldiers, are ill-equipped; that insurgents are better equipped than them; that they are usually out-gunned because the insurgents carry superior weapons.
The NSA has just tried to tell Nigerians why. Monguno said some funds released for the purchase of weapons for our gallant soldiers got missing under the watch of the immediate past Service Chiefs. The Ex- Service Chiefs are: Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olanisakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe-Ibas, and the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, all retired.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, the NSA said: “No one knows what happened to the money, but by God’s grace, the President will investigate to find out whether the money was spent, and where the arms went”
He revealed that the new Service Chiefs have not seen any of the arms that the funds were supposed to be used to procure. Neither the arms nor the money can be traced.
Meaning that the immediate past Service Chiefs have questions to answer.
Interestingly, the Ex-Service Chiefs have just been appointed non-career Ambassadors by President Buhari, and confirmed by the Senate. They are waiting for postings.
Recall that these were the same allegations made against the the NSA under the Goodluck Jonathan Government, Col. Sambo Dasuki, for which he is being prosecuted.
The Buhari Government had alleged that money meant to buy arms to fight insurgents, about 2.1billion US Dollars, was allegedly used for something else, under Jonathan an allegation those that were mentioned have kept denying, insisting that weapons were purchased. But till date, the Buhari Government has kept referring to that allegation.
Now, history seem to be repeating itself.
