Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai (retd.) has clarified that the controversial $1 billion approved for defence procurement during his tenure was released directly to the Ministry of Defence, not to the individual military services.
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Buratai said the funds, approved by the National Economic Council (NEC), never passed through his hands or through the accounts of the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force.
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“The funds were released to the Ministry of Defence, and the entire procurement process was handled by that ministry,” he said. “The Army, Navy, and Air Force never had a single dollar from that fund to make procurement directives.”
“Political and malicious” allegations
He described past allegations linking service chiefs to misappropriation as political and malicious, noting that they first surfaced during the 2019 election cycle. Although the federal government publicly refuted claims that the money had been diverted to political campaigns, Buratai said the damage to public perception unfairly landed on military commanders rather than on the ministry that managed the funds.
He faulted the Ministry of Defence for staying silent while service chiefs took the public criticism, and called for greater accountability and transparency in military procurement.
Call for a transparency portal
Buratai proposed a dedicated Defence Procurement Transparency Portal that would publish broad categories of awarded contracts, the contracting entities and delivery timelines, subject to national security constraints.
“When the media asks where the money went, the answer should come from the ministry that spent it, not from military officers who never touched it,” he said.
On human rights concerns, he maintained that the military is not above the law and that credible allegations against personnel must be investigated and prosecuted where they are substantiated.
Lawan and Musa weigh in
Also speaking at the discussions, former Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who chaired the Senate Committee on Defence, said the National Assembly has consistently supported security agencies and approved executive funding requests to keep the Armed Forces well equipped.
Defence Minister General Christopher Musa noted the growing complexity of contemporary security threats, saying criminal networks and terrorist groups continually exploit technological and coordination gaps.
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