Senate not interested in probing arms procurement deals — Ndume

Chairman Senate Committee on Army Ali Ndume has said the Senate is more concerned about how the Army can be properly motivated to end security challenges than looking into the controversial arms procurement deals that have derailed the terror war.

Although Ndume hinted the House of Representatives is probing arms procurement contracts, he said the Senate is looking into the future and what should be done to wrap up the counter-insurgency campaign.

Ndume, who spoke while fielding questions from journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting with Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and members of the Senate Committee on Army, stressed: “What we’re concerned about is for the Nigerian Army to get what they need in order to prosecute the war.

“So that next time we come here, we’ll be talking about the timeline, we’ll be talking about when the war will be over and when we’re expecting that Nigeria will be secured and be peaceful again”.

Responding to question on what the Senate is doing to sanitise the procurement process, Ndume, said: “Well the Senate is looking forward and as you know the House of Representatives is looking into that, we don’t want to talk about that.

“The Senate is trying to see what we can do about the future, about the present but I can assure you that whatever is done anywhere and anyhow, if not done correctly, Nigerians, even after us will find out and do something about it. What we are concerned about is for the Nigerian Army to get what they need in other to prosecute the war”. (The Nation)