Group slams NSA Monguno for denying statement on missing arms funds

A socio-political group, the One Nigeria Movement (ONM), has described the statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), denying the claim by the NSA, General Babagana Monguno (rtd), that neither the money approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for arms purchase nor arms was met on ground when the new service chiefs assumed office as afterthought.

ONM, which also said the NSA was acting desperately to secure his job in spite of his seeming failure and also shield himself from impending investigations, asked why he was plotting the arrest of the immediate past Service Chiefs for trial by the International Criminal

Court (ICC).

Monguno had insinuated in an interview with the BBC Hausa that General Abayomi Olonisakin, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, recently retired as Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff respectively, would be investigated for the missing arms funds.

However, in an unsigned statement from the NSA office, it was claimed that General Monguno was quoted out of context and that he did not categorically say that funds meant for arms procurement were missing under the former Service Chiefs.

Reacting in a statement on Friday night, by its Convener General, Ahmed Sodiq-Mugoro and Secretary, Babatunde Aliyu, ONM said there was more to the denial of the allegation by the ONSA and Presidency than meet the eyes.

The group noted that what the NSA said on the BBC Hausa service was clear and unambiguous.

According to ONM, “What he said was that neither the money approved for arm purchase nor arms was met on ground when the new service chiefs assumed office. He went further to say that preliminary investigation showed the funds are missing and the equipment is nowhere to be found.

“So how was the NSA quoted out of context? Or was he that the BBC Hausa Service aired a different interview entirely from the one it had with the NSA?

“To us, Nigerians wants to know the truth. Nigerians want to know what happened to the billions of dollars released to purchase arms.

“And most importantly, Nigerians want to know the role played by the NSA in all these because General Monguno cannot claim to be unaware of the missing funds and non-availability of arms when the former Service Chiefs were still in office? Why did he not talk then?

“Finally, how far has the NSA gone in his plot to get the former Service Chiefs, especially the ex-Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai (Rtd), arrested and tried by the ICC?”