Defence Equipment Procurement: Stakeholders slam FG, Committee

Key stakeholders in the Nigerian State on Wednesday rejected the

progressive dehumanization of those that contributed to the unity,

stability and growth of the country.
They also complained about the unethicalness in the reports of the

Presidential Committee on Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian

Armed Forces.
At a meeting of top brass of different ethnic groupings in Kaduna, the

stakeholders not only opposed the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari,

which they described as selective but expressed surprise at the

shallowness of the government with regards to procurement procedures of

the Ministry of Defence.
“This action is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

The country cannot afford the luxury of being coerced into the repressive

mannerisms of selective justice” a statement by Alhaji Adamu Bello said.

They described the accusations against retired military officers as

politically motivated.
The stakeholders accused the government of being selective and refusing to

indict key members of the current administration, believed to have played

questionable roles in military procurement since 2007.

They also accused the presidency of doctoring the Arms Procurement Probe

Report to shield certain individuals.
“These reports must be seen and taken for what they are- distorted images

of reality”.
They also carpeted the government for allegedly lying about the terms of

reference on the latest interim report on the ongoing probe into arms

procurement by successive government since 2007.
Raising questions on who is in charge of contract, the role of the

Ministry of Defence in awarding of contracts, the meaning and use of

operation fund, the attempt to criminalize it and the position of the

Procurement Act on this issue, the stakeholders advised President

Muhammadu Buhari to stop the politics of selection; stressing that such a

method could produce and sustain a chaotic order.
The leaders appealed to President Buhari to focus on issues that enhance

economic growth.
“The change agenda of the government has obviously removed food from the

tables in many homes. People can no longer make ends meet and all what we

can see is the daily increase of robbery, prostitution, kidnapping and

bombing of oil pipelines.
They also advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to

tread cautiously.
They also appealed to President Buhari to exercise restraints by calling

his media aides, the EFCC and the minister of information to order.

The post Defence Equipment Procurement: Stakeholders slam FG, Committee appeared first on Pointblank News .