Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos
Farouk Adamu Aliyu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has claimed that no single dollar is missing from the $1 billion taken from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to buy arms for the military.
Aliyu, a former minority leader of the House of Representatives, in an interview on Channels Television’s news on Monday, monitored by Neptune Prime, said $592 million from the $1 billion arms was spent to purchase 12 Tucano fighter jets.
“When you talk about the $1 billion, politicians can say whatever they want to say. Part of the $1 billion, what was spent $592 million were paid for the 12 Tucano aircraft fighter jets we are buying from the United States,” he said.
“That has been paid 100 per cent. Some of them, about six of them are arriving sometime in July. Work is ongoing in New Bussa where these aircraft are going to be domiciled. As I speak to you, more than 80 members of the Air Force are currently in training in the US so that they can come and man these aircraft.
“The company that is producing them are going to domicile their persons in this country for the training of our personnel for three years. Ammunitions are also bought all over the place, they are there. I assure you that not a single dollar is missing.”
He urged the National Assembly to call for a public hearing involving the Ministry of Finance, to inform Nigerians of how the money was spent.
The former lawmaker said President Muhammadu Buhari runs a transparent government, adding that it is good Nigerians are asking questions about the money budgeted for arms purchase.
Nyesom Wike, Rivers State government, had recently asked the Federal Government to account for the money agreed by the National Economic Council in 2017 to be spent on insurgency and other security challenges in the country.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
