FOLASHADE KEHINDE
SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has said that the denial by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, with regard to a statement on missing funds for military equipment, credited to him, is not enough to exonerate him and the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
After severe criticism, Monguno had refuted reports that he said the funds for arms procurement got missing under former Service Chiefs.
He said what he meant was that President Buhari had provided enormous resources for arms procurement, but that the orders were either inadequate or yet to be delivered.
Falana who spoke in a special VanguardLiveTV interview, however, noted that this denial did not change anything in the message that was sent out by his transcribed interview.
According to him, it also calls into question the commitment of the Buhari administration to the fight against insecurity.
Falana said, “With respect to the Armed Forces under the Buhari administration, apart from the annual budget of the Ministry of Defence, a special allocation is set aside for the procurement of arms and ammunition for the Armed Forces.
“The National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno did say last week that the equipment procured could not be located.
“Notwithstanding the denial later, if you read the transcribed version of the interview, you will agree with me that it was very clear that there was no basis for his denial or misinterpretation.”
He added, “In other words, the $1 billion appropriated for the procurement of arms and ammunitions will have to be accounted for, otherwise, the commitment of the government to the security of the country will have to be questioned.
“It is not enough to say that under the Buhari administration, money cannot be diverted. Money is being diverted on a daily basis by some unpatriotic element.”
The renowned lawyer told VanguardLiveTV that what he expected the government to do was to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate what had been bought with the $1 billion special allocation.
