The Ministry of Defence on Thursday, disclosed that former President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, sidelined and excluded the ministry in the procurement of arms and ammunition for the armed forces and other security operatives in the country.

This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry, Ismaila Aliyu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in company of top officials of the ministry to brief President Muhammadu Buhari on its activities.

Speaking to journalists, Aliyu lamented that though the ministry was involved many years ago, it was excluded from the procurement processes in recent years.

This is in apparent reference to years 2007 till date, tenures of late president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and president, Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari had, on August 24, extended his gale of probes to the military, as he ordered for a comprehensive investigation into procurement of hardware and munitions under Yar’Adua and Jonathan’s administrations.

The periods under probe covers May 29, 2007 to May 29, 2015, within which two former presidents, late Yar’Adua and Jonathan, who were without military backgrounds, presided over the affairs of the country.

The probe did not cover the periods between May 29, 1999 and May 29, 2007, during which former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, who was also a former military head of state, presided over the country.

Buhari had directed the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno “to convene an investigative committee on the procurement of hardware and munitions in the Armed Forces from 2007 till now.”

The terms of reference of the 13-member probe committee, headed by Air-Vice Marshall J.O.N. Ode (rtd.), include among other things: to investigate irregularities in procurement; allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment; procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches.

“The investigative committee’s mandate is to identify irregularities and make recommendations for streamlining the procurement process in the Armed Forces.

“The committee will specifically investigate allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches from arms procurement under past administrations, which, very often, resulted in the acquisition of sub-standard and unserviceable equipment.”

Aliyu said that provision of equipment for the fight against Boko Haram and maintenance of peace and security constituted the immediate need which the president is addressing. He also said in the past, procurement of munitions was “shifted to the services”
On the exclusion of the ministry from procurement of munitions, he said, “Definitely, the ministry was involved in the procurement of arms sometimes but in recent years, the responsibility was shifted to the services.
Further, he explained that with the inclusion of the ministry in the probe committee on procurement of munitions, it would present some facts that would, at the end, ensure procurement processes that will be cost effective, value added and meet local and international equipment standards and needs.
He said, “Mr. President has asked that the Ministry of Defence be included in that committee. The ministry was very involved in the procurement in those years, so definitely we have something to present to that committee.
“The ministry is very excited that this committee has been formed, because our own concern, apart from the administrative and financial support, is to make sure
that policy thrust is complied with, procurement of relevant equipment according to specification of Nigerian armed forces is being complied with and we are very happy for that.
“At the end of this, we hope to have procurement that will be value added, cost effective and will meet our needs both locally and internationally.”
On the war against Boko Haram, he said, “There is substantial progress and achievements to write. He (the president) has asked us to continue with the momentum and is very willing to support the needs of the armed forces.
“The armed forces, particularly Nigerian army and air force, have taken it upon themselves, immediately after the decoration of the service chiefs, they took it upon themselves with the marching order of Mr. President, to go out and make Nigerians proud.
“And he has given them three months. They are working round the clock to even see if they can beat the deadline.”
Aliyu dismissed insinuations that terrorism has come to stay in Nigeria, saying that acts of terror neither constitute part of the cultures of a nation nor had it been part of the citizens.
“Terror has not come to stay in Nigeria, because it is not part of our culture, training, it is not part of us. We want you to extend this (message) to Nigerians. You are the one(s) we are using to deliver our messages that terror will soon end.
“Yes, when we came, there was no terror but now there is terror and we are training and retraining and repositioning Nigeria’s armed forces to fight the insurgency.
“Nigeria is leading. Nigeria has fought and assisted sister countries in peace keeping and there is no reason why Nigerian armed forces will not fight.”