Presidency approves widening of investigation of procurement within the Nigerian Army under past administrations.

This was made known in a statement released by retired Air Vice-Marshal JON ODE, who is the President of the Presidential Committee on the Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement in the Armed Forces.

Air Vice-Marshal ODE said President MUHAMMADU BUHARI approved the recommendation of the Committee charged with investigating the Defence Equipment Procurement for further investigation of those involved due to some irregularities in the award of contracts.

Following the release of the Third Interim Report of the Presidential Committee yesterday, it was approved that eighteen serving and retired military personnel, twelve serving and retired public officials and twenty-four Chief Executive Officers of companies should be questioned.

All those mentioned were either accounting officers or the played key roles in the Nigerian Army procurement activities during the period under from 2007 to 2015.

The list includes two former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General AZUBIKE IHEJIRIKA and Lieutenant-General KENNETH MINIMAH, who are both retired.

Also to be investigated are former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, NURUDEEN MOHAMMED and three former Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry of Defence whose names were given as BUKAR GONI AJI, HARUNA SANUSI and E.O, OYEMOMI.

The recommendation of further probes covers retired Colonel OLU BAMGBOSE of Bamverde Limited; AMITY SADE of Doiyatec Communications Limited; and EDWARD CHURCHILL of Westgate Global Trust Limited.

The Committee’s report also indicates that over hundred and eighty-five point eight billion naira, as well as six over six hundred and eighty-five point three million dollars were spent for procurement and operations within the period under review.

The Report also noted that the Nigerian Army Contracts awarded by the Ministry of Defence for the period under review were often done without significant input from the Nigerian Army.

Furthermore; the committee discovered that such contracts were often awarded to vendors who lacked the necessary technical competence.