ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has declared that any of the military officers found culpable in the ongoing investigation over the $2.1 billion arms deal must face the interrogation and prosecuting agencies, especially the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC).
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, stated this in response to the ongoing revelation that a senior officer and military attachee to the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and his late predecessor, Gen. Andrew Azazi, was involved in the arms deal.
It was reported that a high-ranking military officer, whom investigation revealed is an Army colonel was said to be in charge of procurement.
The senior Army officer was said to have been in the EFCC detention for over one week now with question being raised if an agency being headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) is empowered to detain a serving military Officer.
However, when contacted, Abubakar said that the military would release any officer with questions to answer to face either the Arms Probe Committee, EFCC and any other related agencies if that would assist in the ongoing war against terror.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He said that even though he could not officially confirm if any officer(s) was arrested, but should that be the case, the DHQ will not stand in the way of the law.
He said: “I am not a member of the committee to investigate the arms procurement. However, corruption is not a good thing for any country that hopes to develop and carry out fundamental duties of governance. It is a disease that requires collective efforts of good citizens to eradicate.
“The issue of arresting an officer involved I don’t have such information, but I believe anybody; either soldier or civilian, found wanting can be invited by the committee because this is a national revival for the betterment of our nation.”
“Moreso, nobody is above the law. The military like any segment of the government institution operates with laws. So whoever goes in parallel with law must be held accountable to move our country forward,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Army has not responded on the latest development, as the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, could not be reached.
