Probe Monguno’s missing $1bn arms funds allegation – SERAP, TI tell Buhari

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called for the probe of the  National Security Adviser’s, Babagana Monguno, allegation by the anti-graft agencies.

Monguno had said, during an interview he granted the BBC Hausa Service, that the $1b allocated for the procurement of arms by the Buhari administration during the tenure of the immediate past security chiefs could not be accounted for.

He added that neither the funds nor the weapons the ex-service chiefs were meant to buy could be traced.

The NSA said the President would soon order a probe into the matter.

But after Monguno’s comment went viral in the news, the NSA said no such funds were missing, adding he was quoted out of context by the press.

But reacting to the statement, SERAP said the  denial should not be the end of the issue, adding that Buhari should order anti-graft agencies to probe the missing arms funds.

In a statement issued by the rights group yesterday, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said, “Any allegations of corruption in the spending of public resources must be promptly, thoroughly, independently and transparently investigated. Suspected perpetrators should be brought to justice if there is relevant admissible evidence. Any missing public funds must be fully recovered and returned to the treasury.

“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations would help Nigerians to know if the funds meant to defend the country and for purchase of arms to empower Nigerian soldiers have been transparently and accountably spent.”

Also reacting in a similar vein, the Transparent International said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission should investigate Monguno’s allegation.

Commenting on the allegations of missing fund on Saturday, the Chairman, TI Nigeria, Musa RafSanjani, said denial by government officials was unacceptable to Nigerians, insisting that a thorough probe must be carried into the allegations.

He stated, “President Buhari, EFCC, and ICPC should begin to investigate this. The EFCC and ICPC should swing into action, they don’t need the President to direct them to do this. They have the power and responsibility to do that. We expect that the National Assembly should carry out their investigative and public hearing which should be transparent and accountable.’’ 

There reports that between 2015 and 2021, defence got total budgetary allocations of N3.8tn.

In 2015, budgetary allocation to defence was N388.45bn; 2016, N429.12bn; 2017, N467.12bn; 2018, N580.14bn; 2019, N158.11bn; 2020, N975.77bn; and 2021, N838bn.

The NSA during the Jonathan administration, Sambo Dasuki and the Publicity Secretary of the PDP during during the ex-president’s reign, Olisah Metuh were tried for the same offence at the inception of the current administration in 2015.

Dasuki was arrested in December 2015 over an allegation of diverting $2.1billion arms funds while serving as the National Security Adviser during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He was arraigned in court and was granted bail with certain conditions, but the Federal Government refused to release him in disobedience to the court order.

On July 14, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the continued detention of the former NSA since December 29, 2015, by the DSS as illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.