By Chimezie Godfrey
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, (CISLAC) has urged President Buhari to brief the national assembly and Nigerians on the extent of spending on the $1billion withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in 2017 for purchase of intelligence and platforms to fight Boko Haram as a demonstration of accountability.
Auwal Ibrahim Rafsanjani who stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at a press briefing on the state of defence accountability infrastructure in Nigeria, disclosed that there are unpublished defence budgets that are still frequently abused by corrupt officials seeking benefits from the conflicts with Boko Haram and oil theft in the southern region. Such officials launder stolen money abroad.
He noted that there are gaps that need to be addressed by the military in areas which include wrong deployment of personnel to the ministry of defence, the dichotomy between MOD and Defence Headquarters (DHQ), lack of transparency in procurement, posting, welfare, and kits, among others.
According to him, CISLAC and its international partners considering the gamut of challenges facing the security sector, particularly the issue of corruption therefore called for accountability and transparency in the sector.
He said,”The President should as a matter of urgency brief the national assembly in particular and the nation at large on the extent of spending on the $1billion authorized by the Nigerian governors’ forum withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in 2017, for their purchase of intelligence and platforms to fight Boko Haram as a demonstration of accountability.
“That the special court for corruption cases be given speedy passage by the national assembly in the spirit of the anti-corruption drive of the Buhari regime.
“And given the way and manner this drive has gone to fumigate the public finance sector of governance, CSOs believe that the Buhari government should institutionalize the fight against the corrupt so that it will survive his regime when he finishes his current and final term in 20203.
“That the President should as a matter of fact urgently brief the nation on the extent, status and the implementation plan of the national defence policy.
“Citizens are increasingly interested in the way and manner they are secured as well as the accountability infrastructure within the sector.”
The Executive Director stressed that the defence sector is a juicy target for corrupt military leaders seeking to pad their pockets, adding that more spending does not translate to more security.
“Without increasing transparency and oversight of our most secretary sector, we will not succeed in keeping Nigerian wealth in Nigeria. Corruption in the defence sector has only expanded.
“With oil prices low and conflict at a high, defence has become the new diesel for Nigerian kleptocrats. Taking on the defence sector was a bold move by President Buhari.
“But efforts to bring the corrupt to justice are not enough,” he said
He pointed out that ambitious institutional reforms are needed to prevent the next US $15 billion quietly leaving Nigeria through the back door.
He recommended that there should be reforms which include public launch of the integrity action plan, and development of defence sector anti-corruption strategy.
Others are the extension of public access to defence and security information and the monitoring of confidential procurement.
