Insecurity: Account For $1bn Arms Purchase Fund, Wike Tasks Buhari

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has asked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to give account of the $1billion that was withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to purchase arms for the fight against insurgency.
Wike spoke in an interview with Channels Television’s ‘Newsnight’ where he recommended that the President should hold officials accountable for their actions.
It would be recalled that the National Economic Council (NEC) had on December 15, 2017, agreed to utilise $1billion from the excess crude account to procure arms to boost the fight against Boko Haram and other security threats to the nation.
Wike was one of the governors that questioned the decision at the meeting chaired by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, and had the 36 state governors in attendance.
However, the spate of insecurity has worsened beyond measures after four years, with many Nigerians raising questions regarding the purchase of the equipment.
“I remember there was a time when $1billion was taken from the Excess Crude Account to provide for security. Where is the equipment that we bought?,” Wike asked.
“If I should release that money as the chief security officer, knowing how Nigeria is, I will make sure that those weapons and the right ones were bought.”
Wike further faulted the response of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru over the arms purchase during his appearance before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Arms and Ammunition.
The COAS had refused to speak further on the matter, insisting that he had barely settled into office, and was definitely not the right person to speak on arms and ammunition purchased by his predecessors.
Wike added, “I was surprised when I was watching the television when the House of Representatives invited the Chief of Army Staff about the purchase of weapons, and he said, ‘look, you know the right people to ask.
“You have to take leadership. Even if those were at the helms of affairs of security, the onus is on you, you can still summon them back.”