The Presidential Panel on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement has recommended the prosecution of a former Minister of Defence, a retired Army General, as well as a former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence over alleged arms procurement infractions to the tune of N5.71 billion.
Also, a serving Air Vice Marshal (AVM) is to face trial over alleged forgery of documents. A senior military source, who insisted on remaining anonymous, told this newspaper that: “There were no traces of procurement, even though such huge amount was sourced.”
According to a report by New Telegraph, “The panel discovered that the N5.71 billion was meant for the procurement of military equipment for a United Nations (UN) Support Mission in one of the African countries.
“However, members of the panel found out that the aforementioned former high-ranking officials changed the money from dollar to naira, without applying same to what it meant for.
was further discovered that shortly after the exchange, the fund was paid into an account of the agency.”
It was gathered from highly placed military sources that the AVM, who headed a very sensitive agency in the military, had allegedly tendered documents relating to procurement of defence equipment, which were found to be at variance with facts available to the 13-member panel.
“In the course of probing the contract, the panel requested details of the contract from the AVM, who had claimed that he could not find the relevant documents.
“He later had a re-think, as he submitted some documents, which were found to be at variance with available facts.
“Curiously, the embattled AVM made efforts to withdraw the papers, but was rebuffed,” the source said.
It will be recalled that the panel, which was headed by AVM J.O.N Ode (rtd), had submitted four reports to the presidency.
In the reports, the panel recommended prosecution of retired and serving top military officers, contractors that handled procurement of defence equipment and public officials
. Already, a former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd); ex-Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd), among other retired senior officers, are facing trial based on their respective indictment. The panel also indicted some ex-Chiefs of Army Staff.
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