In spite of the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission- to begin the probe of 17 serving and retired military officers, the EFCC is yet to take concrete action.
The anti-graft agency has thus far, failed to reach out to the Nigeria military concerning the 11 serving officers who are among those to be probed for alleged arms funds diversion.
The 11 serving officers that will be investigated by the EFCC include Air Marshal A.M. Mamu (Chief of Administration, Nigeria Air Force); AVM Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters); AVM T. Omenyi (Managing Director, NAF Holdings); and AVM J.B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budget)
Others are AVM R. A. Ojuawo (Air Force Tactical Air Command, Markudi); AVM J.A. Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); Air Cdre. A.O. Ogunjobi; Air Cdre G.M.D. Gwani; Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa; Col. N. Ashinze (Special Assistant to the former NSA, Dasuki;) and Air Cdr. S.O.Makinde.
Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, revealed to Punch Newspapers in Abuja, that the Defence Headquarters is yet to receive any letter from the EFCC on the affected military officers.
Abubakar was quoted to have said: “We have to get it from them. The request must come but the best I know, there is nothing like that. But we are always ready to act promptly on this issue.”
“We are in total compliance with any government agency that wishes to request for anybody who might have been indicted in the process of this arms procurement. And there is what is called laid-down procedures, which every agency has to follow. Our doors are always open to any agency which wishes to find anything about the military.
“We have procedures. We have administrative procedures. You write us. You write to the Defence Headquarters. You write to the Ministry of Defence, which supervises the services and then they would ask us to take actions appropriately as directed and then we obey that order. So this thing is not cumbersome. It is a straight forward thing and it easy to get what you want to get in the system.”
“There must be some people who may decide to act the way they want to act; so if some people are found in the military, it does not in any way signify that the military is corrupt. We are in support of any move towards fighting corruption.”
