Buratai justifies $1bn approved for insurgency fight

While the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some Nigerians continue to kick against President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of $1 billion for insurgency fight, the Nigerian army is already planning how to utilize the money.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, on Thursday assured that the $1billion approved for the purchase of military equipment will be spent judiciously.

The Army chief stated this when he briefed newsmen at the Second Nigerian Army Procurement Seminar in Abuja.

Buhari had during a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd), and the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday approved the fund.

However, some Nigerians have been kicking against the approval of the money, especially the opposition PDP, who had alleged that Buhari wants to “loot” the money for his 2019 re-election campaign and not for the purchase of arms. The party called on Nigerians and the National Assembly to resist him.

But speaking to newsmen, Buratai expressed optimism that the money would boost the efforts of the military in the war against the Boko Haram terrorist group in the North East and other security issues affecting the country.

Speaking on how the Army intends to utilize the money he said, “Our capability is increased in terms of the platforms that would be procured, in terms of the further training that would be carried out.

“Once these equipment are procured, it means further consolidating on other areas where there are challenges so that the troops will be able to use these equipment and operate very efficiently to be able to defeat all those criminals.”

READ ALSO: Fayose accuses Buhari of approving $1bn for other intention not for arms

The money in question was from the Excess Crude Account and President Buhari is said to have approved it for the purchase of arms without the approval of the National Assembly.

Earlier, the Nigerian Governors Forum had given their approval for the president to withdraw the money which belongs to the three tiers of government – the federal, state and the local government.

But, some governors, including Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State as well as all the local government areas in Ekiti State had opposed the development, and have even dragged the Federal Government to court on the matter.

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