PRESIDENT BUHARI ATTENDS NIGERIAN'S 58TH INDEPENDENCE 15 Military Parade as Nigerian Marks 58th Independence Anniversary with a parade of Military hardware at theEagle Square, Abuja. OCTOBER 1 2018. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE
Top Story

Group seeks probe of Military spending in letter to Buhari

239

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari requesting him to use his “good offices and leadership position to urgently set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the spending of defence and military budgets between 1999 and 2018 in order to promote transparency and accountability in the sector.”

 

SERAP said the probe would: “ensure that the funds meant for military operation are spent for that purpose and end the vulnerability and killings of Nigerian soldiers such as the reported death of several Nigerian soldiers in the recent Metele Boko Haram attack.”

 

The organization also urged President Buhari to: “immediately refer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) pursuant to article 13 of the Rome Statute, all allegations of corruption in the spending of funds meant to purchase arms to empower Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram, including the apparent diversion and sharing of the over $2 billion under the former government of President Goodluck Jonathan and approved spending by your own government.”

 

In the letter dated 23 November 2018 and signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said: “We believe that referral of the cases to the ICC would serve as a deterrent and ensure that Nigerians, particularly those in the Northeast of the country whose human rights including to life, to human dignity, and to an adequate standard of living have been violated are not denied justice and effective remedies.”

 

The organization expressed “concern that several billions of naira allocated to the military to defend the country have neither contributed to improving the ability of Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram and other armed groups nor provided the much-needed security especially for Nigerians in the North-east of the country.”

 

The organization urged Buhari to: “move swiftly to implement these recommendations as a way of demonstrating your government’s commitment to end the perception of lack of transparency and accountability in the spending of military budgets in the context of the conflict in the Northeast and to ensure the safety and security of our solders and all Nigerians in that part of the country.”

 

The letter read in part: “The military’s inability to respond adequately to the Boko Haram insurgency suggests among other things a mismanagement in the spending of the country’s defence budgets. Establishing a commission of inquiry to investigate how defence and military budgets have been spent since 29 May 1999 would help Nigerians to know if the funds meant to defend the country and for purchase of arms to empower Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram have been transparently and accountably spent.”

 

“The proposed commission should be led by a retired justice of the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The activities of the commission must be open to the public and all those who have been responsible for the spending of the country’s defence and military budgets should be summoned to give a public account of how the money was spent.”

 

“Testimonies should be taken in a way that ensures that specific military operations are not disclosed and national security not compromised. The commission should make recommendations including on the prosecution of those found to have mismanaged and/or stolen public funds meant to fight Boko Haram.”

 

“SERAP is concerned that many cases of those alleged to have diverted and shared funds meant to purchase arms to empower Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram have stalled. Given the continuing delay in the prosecution of such cases, and the need to send a strong message that corruption in the spending of funds meant to fight Boko Haram insurgents will not be tolerated, we urge you to immediately refer all such cases for investigation and prosecution by the ICC.”

 

“SERAP notes that article 13(a) of the Rome Statute of the ICC provides a basic right to states parties including Nigeria to refer to the ICC prosecutor cases such as those involving mismanagement and/or stealing of funds meant to purchase arms to empower Nigerian soldiers to fight Boko Haram.”

 

“Opacity and deficiencies in the way arms purchases are decided and controlled if not urgently addressed would continue to expose our soldiers to risk of attacks and killings; displace people and destroy their means of livelihoods and render them homeless, thereby undermining human rights, including the right to life, right to personal security, right to education and right to livelihood.”

 

“Nigeria is a state party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and a range of international human rights treaties and therefore has a duty to respect and protect human rights including a duty to protect people against human rights abuses by third parties.”

 

“SERAP notes that in 2014 about N340billion (US$1.7billion) was allocated to the military.  Also, a number of offices had budgets allocated to them in relation to the Boko Haram conflict. The military received the largest funds in the federal budget in 2014. In October 2014, the National Assembly approved a request to borrow US$1billion as an additional amount for purchase of military equipment. In 2015, about N375billion (US$1.8billion) was allocated to the military in the federal budget.”

 

“The same year, an interim report of the presidential investigations committee on arms procurement under the former president Goodluck Jonathan administration revealed an extra-budgetary spending to the tune of N643.8 billion and an additional spending of about $2.1 billion under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.”

 

“SERAP also notes that Nigeria is a key member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has ‘accountability, economic and social justice’ as part of the fundamental principles contained in its Revised Treaty. Nigeria is a member of the Commonwealth, which has as its core principles ‘transparency, accountability, legitimacy, and responsiveness.’”

 

“Article 1(c) of the UN Convention against Corruption which Nigeria has ratified states the purpose of the treaty as including: ‘to promote integrity, accountability and proper management of public affairs and public property.’”

 

“According to reports, at least 118 soldiers and officers were killed when the terrorist Boko Haram sect attacked Nigeria’s 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele village of Borno State on November 18. 153 soldiers reportedly remained missing in action. Nigerian troops fighting on the frontline of the Boko Haram conflict have also reportedly deplored the poor state of their equipment, including outdated vehicles.”

 

“More than 27,000 people are reported to have been killed in the many years of Islamist insurgency in the North-east of the country that has triggered a humanitarian crisis and left 1.8 million people without homes.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Nigeria, Global Leaders Target $29 trn to Advance African Economy by 2050

In a significant push for economic growth, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima...

Opeifa takes the helm at Nigeria Railway Corporation

Dr. Kayode Opeifa, a renowned transportation expert and former Lagos State Commissioner...

Just in: Ekweremadu’s wife regains freedom from UK prison

Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of a former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike...

Just in: FCT CP loses son in car accident

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, has reportedly...

Just in: Nigerian Telecom Users to Pay More as NCC Approves 50% Tariff Hike

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted telecom operators’ request to adjust...

Breaking: Trump vows to halt illegal immigration

Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States...

Nigeria’s Presidency Shrugs Off Badenoch’s Comments, Says No Impact on Relations

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed comments made by UK Conservative Party leader,...

Breaking: Trump sworn in as 47th US President

In a dramatic return to power on Monday, Donald Trump took the...

VP Shettima for World Economic Forum in Davos

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja to represent Nigeria at the...

Nigeria’s high-speed rail revolution: Work begins on $16 bln Abuja-Lagos line in February – Idris

The Federal Government is set to launch the highly anticipated Lagos-Abuja Super...

At least, 50 people are feared killed in Niger State fuel tanker explosion

No fewer than 50 people have lost their lives in a devastating...

Ex-First Lady dies in London

Former First Lady of Delta State and one-time Miss Nigeria, Mrs Edna...

Ogun farm murder: Under-30 mother of one fatally attacked gathering vegetables, others for market

A somber mood has settled over the rural community of Ilewo Orile...

Governors’ Forum Gets Presidential Kudos for Backing Sweeping Tax Reform Bills

President Bola Tinubu has expressed his appreciation to the Nigeria Governors’ Forum...

Fake job announcement for Port Harcourt Refinery: NNPCL sets the record straight

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has advised the public...

Autonomy: FG to disburse allocations directly to 774 councils by January – Presidency

Beginning from January 2025, the 774 local government councils across the country...

Pres. Tinubu’s diplomatic efforts yield fruit as UAE President accepts to visit Nigeria

In a major diplomatic achievement, President Bola Tinubu has secured a significant...

Ogun Gov. Abiodun Expresses Shock, Sadness Over Death of Onanuga, Reps Deputy Chief Whip

Grief-stricken Ogun Gov. Dapo Abiodun has described the passing of the late...

Tinubu Calls for Boost in Regional Trade to Drive African Growth

President Bola Tinubu has emphasized the importance of Africa focusing on internal...

Breaking: Lagos Speaker Obasa impeached

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa,...