Presidency reveals truth about alleged missing $1bn arms fund under Buhari
- The presidency has disagreed with reports claiming that fund meant for arms have been diverted
- Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesperson, argued that the allegations are untrue
- The aide explained that the report emanated due to an error by the media
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The presidency has dismissed reports that money meant for the purchase of arms for the military has gone missing under Muhammadu Buhari’s watch.
According to The Punch, Garba Shehu, a spokesperson to the president told Channels TV on Friday, March 12, that no fund was missing under the watch of the immediate past service chiefs.
The presidential spokesperson made the statement in reaction to a report which claimed the national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, said money for the purchase of arms for the military was missing.
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However, Shehu explained that the funds have been used to procure weapons for the military but the arms were yet to be delivered.
He said:
''About the $1bn taken from the Excess Crude Account with the consent of state governors used for military procurements, I want to assure you that nothing of that money is missing.
“The reference by it in the interview of the BBC Hausa Service by the National Security Adviser has been misconstrued and mistranslated.
“NSA made two critical points –one is that we don’t have enough weapons which is a statement of facts; and two procurements made have not been fully delivered.”
The presidential spokesperson argued that the national security adviser never claimed money has been misappropriated and that no arms are seen.
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He said funds cannot just disappear under the Buhari administrations.
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno, has denied saying money for the purchase of arms for the military was missing under the former service chiefs.
The NSA said he was quoted out of context in the interview with the BBC Hausa service.
Monguno said he clearly informed the BBC reporter that the president has provided enormous resources for arms procurement, but the orders were either inadequate or yet to be delivered.
He said he never implied that the funds were misappropriated under the former service chiefs.
Kess Ewubare is a senior political/current affairs correspondent at Legit.ng. He has both a BSc and a Master’s degree in mass communication. He has over 10 years of experience in working in several fields of mass communication including radio, TV, newspaper, and online. For Kess, journalism is more than a career, it is a beautiful way of life.
Source: Legit.ng
