The House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on purchase of arms and ammunition on Friday insisted that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim must appear in person to clarify issues on purchase of arms by Nigerian Army.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Bede Eke (PDP-Imo) at a public hearing in Abuja.
Ibrahim has sent a team of officers led by Maj.Gen. Charles Ofoche to represent him at the event.
Rep. Ifeanyi Mouma (APGA-Anambra) while raising a point of order at the hearing said that a written invitation was sent to COAS by the committee to appear in person.
Report I’m getting is that those abducting, killings not short of arms, ammunition – Buhari
“For me as a member of this committee which is suppose to actually lay ground facts for the people of Nigeria on the objective that this committee was set up.
“I do not think the representative of the Chief Army Staff can be held culpable or liable for the remarks made here because it is assumed that any remarks made here is made by the Chief of Army Staff.
“So if he is not the one making the remarks, it makes it very easy for him to actually engage in culpable deniability since he is not the one making the remarks,” he said.
Ofoche had tendered the apology of COAS for his inability to appear in person.
He explained that the COAS has been on tour of formations in the country to get first hand information on the state of troops.
“He was in Ibadan and Enugu yesterday all for the same security needs; the country is embroiled in a lot of crisis so he is moving around,” he said.
The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno had alleged that the money allocated for the purchase of weapons but that the weapons were not in the county yet.
Munguno said they don’t know where weapons are.
Munguno speaking with BBC Hausa said: “It is not that we are not working to end the security challenge in the country. The President has done his own part and allocated a huge amount of money to purchase weapons but they are yet to be here. We don’t know where they are,” Munguno said.
“I am not saying that the past service chiefs have diverted the money, but presently we don’t know where the money is.”
“I can’t say the money was stolen but we didn’t see anything and even the new service chiefs said they didn’t see the weapons. It is possible the weapons are on their way coming.
Maybe from America, England and other places but as at now, I didn’t see anything and the new service chiefs too didn’t see any weapons either.”
