$2.2 Billion arms cash: Military rejects Jonathan’s claim



Military sources yesterday rejected former President Goodluck Jonathan’s claim that his administration bought warships and aircraft.


The former president, who spoke at a lecture he delivered on “Youth Entrepreneurship” at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom (UK), tried to exonerate former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki of corruption allegations involving $2.2 billion voted for arms procurement.

Jonathan said he did not believe the former NSA stole the money because weapons were bought for the military to fight Boko Haram.

Jonathan said: “I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion; we bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on and so forth and you are still saying 2.2billion, so where did we get the money to buy all those things?”

Investigations however revealed that the former President might have been deceived by his officials on the type of weapons that were bought for the military.

According to several military sources who asked to remain anonymous because of the “sensitivity” of the matter, many of the weapons bought under the former president were “unserviceable and useless”.

One said the Jonathan administration bought at least three fairly used (Tokunbo) Alpha Jets for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and two helicopters. But the jets were , the sources claimed, “not worth anything because they were not weaponised and the helicopters were cannibalised.”

NAF recently reconfigured two demilitarised Alpha jets in its inventory. According to the NAF website, the jets were bought from the United States in 2015 to help in the fight against Boko Haram.

“The two aircraft are among the four Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015 by the immediate past administration to enhance the operational capability of the NAF to combat Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.

“The aircraft, however, before now, could not be deployed in the theatre of operation due to the inherent weapon delivery deficiency, hence its limited use for training purposes. The urgent need in recent times to commit all NAF available platforms to OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE to enhance the success of the counter insurgency operation necessitated the Service to look inward to seek ways of achieving its drive for self reliance through research and development.

“ A number of vendors invited to Nigeria to assess the platforms had concluded that it would be difĂ»cult or almost impossible to undertake the project since the Original Equipment Manufacturer had long closed down the production line. A few others who agreed to the possibility of having the aircraft reconfigured to carry munitions have also submitted proposals for initial assessment fee ranging from $20,000 – $30,000 before they could come up with the actual cost for the project. Convinced that the project would work, the NAF consequently assembled a team of technicians to develop a feasible model for the project. The model worked on ground, and has since been mounted on the Alpha Jets, and test fown successfully. This feat is a major research and development breakthrough for the NAF and the nation as a huge foreign exchange saver, given that the project only cost about N4,000,000.00 compared to what would be required to have it done abroad,” NAF said.

However, the former President may have been referring to the purchase of six decommissioned Norwegian battleships, bought purportedly on behalf of the Navy by former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

The purchase had caused a huge row in Norway forcing that country’s military leadership to apologize to the lawmakers. The battleships were said to be used for anti-piracy operations on Nigerian waters. The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, did not respond to our correspondent’s questions on the whereabouts of the battleships.

However a search on the Navy website revealed that the service has 24 battle ships purchased over several years while it still awaits one battleship built in China, NNS Unity.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is seeking to add an additional C295W military aircraft to its fleet as the battle against Boko Haram reaches an advance stage. NAF has been crucial to the recent victories recorded by the military in the Northeast, through series of sustained aerial bombardment of camps and locations of Boko Haram militants.

The aircraft is to be purchased from Airbus Defence and Space Company (Spain), which had earlier in the year made proposals to the NAF.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had played host to Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Alfonso Barnuevo Sebastian De Erice, who led two executives of Airbus Defence and Space Company to the NAF Headquarters and held discussions on the company’s proposal to sell the C295W military aircraft to the NAF.

According to NAF, based on its operational capabilities, the aircraft was considered suitable to meet some of its operational needs, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and airlift operations.

The air force has also recommended the aircraft for acquisition and provisions have been made for this in the 2017 budget proposal.

The CAS urged the visiting team to start looking into training areas for NAF pilots and technicians on the aircraft.

This, he said, is with a view to ensuring a smooth take-off for the operation of the aircraft in the event of its approval by the Federal Government.
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  1. If no weapon purchased and the ones bought aren't good. What has the army being using to fight boko haram? There is no record of Buhari administration purchasing any weapons. Anyways. Only God know who is lying and saying the truth. Every new government blame the old one. All to divert people's attention on what is actually happening.

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    1. Prince, Don't mind them..... What of the war ships shown by Channels TV then?..... D ones showed were good and new ones.....
      Politicians.... Na wa ooo.
      Like u ve rightly said, Buhari's govt has not bought any since... The only error is dat, Goodluck bought them too late towards the end of his regime, shortly, b4 the elections..... Dat was why he was recording success against Boko haram b4 elections..... And even possible to have elections in the North East..... U know, it was propagandas & lies dat brought up APC and they think, dey can use the same to retain power!

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  2. In the current dire situation Nigeria finds herself due to lies incompetence deceit ignorance wickedness and cluelessness of this APC government, continuing in the lies and deceit cannot help anyone but will further plunge this country into deeper social political and economic abyss. You people have already taken responsibility after a long time lying and trying to deceive Nigerians to believe the contrary. It is unfortunate! Shameless hypocrisy!
    Chanji dole!
    Sai Baba!
    Sai Tinubu!

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  3. One major and outstanding characteristic of this "Change" administration is Lie, I mean LIE... Consequently, nothing impresses me in whatever they say. May we ask you what weapons you have been using so far to fight various insurgencies, since you have not laid claim on purchasing a single one...? This administration can never succeed with deceptions and blame game it is renowned with...Well,as events are unfolding...

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  4. As far as something was bought, then money was paid. That is what Mr President is saying.

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  5. Thank you Prince Ebose. You know it is quite childish for the present government to always lie to the people. They came and claimed that no railway was built by the Jonathan administration and few months later , they trooped out with fanfare to commission one. Buhari,s administration has not bought even one AK 47 rifle talk less of a helicopter and yet they claimed the last administration bought nothing for the army. I watched the arrival of tanks bought from Czech Republic and Russia when the US and their allies refused to sell to us due to our refusal for their gay marriage, still this government denies such purchases. What was and is the army fighting with since then? Nigerians are wiser now and this stupid and needless campaign of calumny is a total,failure.

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  6. Ebose. Na only jonathan don rule dis country b4? Y r u myopic. Always comparing jonathan with buhari. Wat av u gained since then?
    So obasanjo n yaradua etc didnt purchase anytin. Na wao

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  7. I wonder ooo. Where did the military got the weapons they have being using. Is there any record that this administration has bought any weapon?

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  8. Look at somebody asking if it is only Jonathan and Buhari that has ruled the country before , what part of the country are you located? During OBJ times is there BOKO HARAM ? The answer is no , during Yaraduwa time was there BOKO HARAM the exam is no again , and please don't forget that this Boko boys came into existence after Jonathan won the election he contested 2011, when the people on seat now refuse to accept defeat and vow to make this country ungovernable , but you see how Jonathan disappointed them by accepting fake defeat masterminded by Jega. Please somebody tell me how come those chibok girls can now find their way out of the forest after 2yrs plus ? We are watching the movie as it unfolds .

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  9. James are 100% wrong to say there book harm did not exist during Yaradua,for your information Maman Yusuf their leader was killed during Yaradua regime,pls always cross check facts b4 making comment.

    ReplyDelete

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