Serving Army General confessed to Arms Deal Audit Panel in tears

A serving major general reportedly broke down in tears while he was being interrogated by the 13-man panel probing procurement of arms and other military equipment between 2007 and 2015.

Some highly placed military sources said the two-star general, who once held a powerful position at one of the formations under the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) burst into tears when he was confronted with hard and overwhelming evidence of alleged corrupt practices in the procurement of military equipment.

According to a source, the general had initially denied any wrongdoing in the arms deal but he had to eat his words when the audit panel confronted him with suspicious transactions made through his personal accounts.

“The panel discovered through painstaking investigation several suspicious lodgements in personal domiciliary accounts in about five banks belonging to the Army General.

“Listen, as a serving officer, what will such huge amount of money be doing in his personal accounts, as a public officer? As officers and soldiers, we are not strangers to the fact that our esteemed profession is not one that confers outrageous wealth on us,” the source said.

He is being probed for his alleged involvement in the purchase of some substandard Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and other equipment, for the prosecution of the anti-Boko Haram war in Borno and other troubled states in the north east.

The army general was among the 17 serving and retired military officers indicted in the first interim report of the audit panel over the procurement of arms and other equipment for the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).

It was learnt that a former accountant general of the federation has refunded over N1 billion to the federal government.

A source said: “You know, when you are in office as he was, there are certain things you cannot run away from. The money in question was given to him as a thank-you gift. But you also know that it is difficult to deny receipt of such gifts. The records are there. So, when the panel called on him upon discovery, he had no option than to return whatever he took.”

Report has it that some former Chiefs of Army Staff (CoAS) may soon be invited to shed light on award of contracts and procurement made during their tenures.

There are indications that that the audit panel may have submitted its third interim report to President Muhammadu Buhari on contract awards and procurements by the Nigerian Army, after turning in two previous reports.

“The panel has turned in its interim report on the Army to Mr. President, who is now studying same, and will soon direct the EFCC, to act, by way of investigation and possible prosecution of suspects, in the event that prima facie cases are established against anyone.

“In fact, the findings of the panel as contained in their latest report, are more damning and heartrending,” one of the sources said.

Also, some highly placed military sources hinted that some of the task forces set up in the past, were alleged drain-pipes for diverting billions of naira.

Some army officials who served during the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan are either under the radar of the EFCC or are already facing charges for corruption-related offences.

Some former military chiefs have been invited by the audit panel to come and answer questions on the arms deal.



[Naij.com]
 

Alex Badeh, a former chief of defence staff is facing charges for his role in the arms deal and he has appeared in court several times.