BurataiGate: Nation’s defence spending buried in absolute secrecy and institutionalized corruption – CISLAC

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) on Sunday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the corruption uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding billions of naira and other items uncovered by the anti-graft agency.

CISLAC executive director Auwal Rafsanjani, who is also the head of Transparency International in Nigeria made the call in a statement.

The ICPC claimed though its investigation was linked to a military contractor Kabiru Sallam, and was silent on Mr Buratai’s connection. The former army chief had earlier told The Gazette ICPC had no warrant to search his property.

Expressing its concerns about the alleged looted funds and the other items, CISLAC said there was the need for Mr Buhari to urge ICPC to fully expose the true source and ownership of the seized money and luxury items to ensure the perpetrators and their accomplices are prosecuted and sanctioned.

“While the nation’s defence spending has hitherto been buried in absolute secrecy and institutionalised corruption that impede efficient services and nation’s security, the fact-finding as detected by the anti-graft institution has indeed validated the persistent public outcry by CISLAC/TI Nigeria for transparency and accountability in Defence procurement and spending,” noted the CISLAC statement.

It added, “We without doubt observed that the ongoing exposure is not unconnected to other entrenched symptoms of unquantified level of systemic corruption dominating defence procurement. This is also seen in spending like unaccounted funds as approved for the procurement of weapons and frequent denial by successive security chiefs of the existence of weapons.”

Mr Rafsanjani said the diversion of defence and security funds to private pockets through the procurement process constituted a serious threat to Nigeria’s defence and security sector and services.

He added that it left the security operatives ill-equipped, poorly-remunerated and demoralised despite the persistently increased defence budgetary allocation and spending from 2011 to date.

CISLAC slammed Mr Buhari’s regime for “deliberately” leaving unattended high profile cases of corruption and granting convicted corrupt officials presidential pardon, thus, accusing it of “lop-sidedness and selective fight” against corruption in the public sector.

The anti-corruption group called on Mr Buhari to ensure that all reported high profile cases were accorded urgent priority to discourage corrupt practices in the defence and security sector.

“We demand transparency and accountability in defence spending and targeted investigation by the National Assembly into reported unaccounted spending on weapons,” stated Mr Rafsanjani. “We further demand adequate legislative oversight by relevant committees in the National Assembly into the nation’s defence and security procurement and spending to restore efficiency, transparency and accountability into the sector.”

(NAN)