A former military leader is accused of diverting N4 billion, according to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which has started a probe into military spending.
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN), stated that there are instances of employment racketeering in the security sector while speaking at the National Policy Dialogue on Corruption and Insecurity in Nigeria, which was held on Friday at the ICPC Auditorium in Abuja.
Owasanoye also revealed that the Police Trust Fund, a recently established police special intervention framework intended to end underfunding of the police, is already the subject of an investigation by the ICPC. She added that the investigation is looking into allegations of abuse, fund diversion, dubious welfare packaging that is not for the police, who are the fund’s beneficiaries, as well as various other corrupt practices.
“A clinical diagnosis of the insecurity menace in the country reveals that we require the collaborative efforts of Security Agencies (the military, intelligence, Police, Customs, Prisons, and others), as well as Law Enforcement and Anti-Corruption Agencies,” the head of the anti-corruption agency claimed.
According to him, the findings of the ICPC on the subject demonstrate that public sector corruption both directly and indirectly promotes insecurity and might occasionally amplify it.
The ICPC is looking into numerous cases of job racketeering in the security industry, according to Owasanoye. Additionally, investigations into the cost of military contracts are ongoing. A military contractor who got a total of roughly N6 billion from the Nigerian Army over a period of less than 10 years, in questionable circumstances, and in contravention of the law, was recently detained by the ICPC.
The recovery by the Commission from the contractor’s premises of large cash quantities in local and foreign currencies, luxury cars, customized mobile phones, designer watches, including three Rolex, as well as property documents highlights the corruption that frequently surrounds military procurement.
According to him, the ICPC and a sister agency are looking into allegations that some former military and security employees embezzled money intended for security.
For instance, a former commander of one of the military’s armed forces deposited N4 billion from the budget of the military into the accounts of two firms, of which he is the only beneficial owner.
In the names of buddies and proxies, the money was used to buy residences in Abuja. Additionally, some of the properties purchased through his business were falsely transformed for his use. A recently retired high court judge opted to forfeit some of the assets to FGN and leave the remaining to the suspect, frustrating the ICPC’s prosecution of this high ranking officer to recover all the implicated assets. Although the Commission has submitted a notice of appeal, this peculiar event worsens a terrible position and increases impunity.
“Another case under investigation involves public workers in the line ministry who transferred roughly N1 billion to four shell businesses while using a portion of the special intervention cash authorized for security operations. Under the direction of the NSA and ICPC, a special investigating team found some of the diverted assets, including cutting-edge buildings in Abuja and more than N220 million in cash. This matter is still under investigation.
The Police Trust Fund, a recently established police special intervention framework intended to end underfunding of the police, is already the subject of an ICPC investigation, according to Owasanoye, who also added that funds to retool and reposition the police to a world-class institution are also threatened by corruption.
He claimed that it was under investigation for abuse, fund misappropriation, dubious welfare packaging that wasn’t for the police, the fund’s intended beneficiaries, and various unethical activities.
One can confidently assume that, to varying degrees, similar behaviors plague other security services. “Over the past seven years, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the ninth National Assembly have made sure that the security sector has received much more budget. We are asking why, despite the valiant and selfless efforts of our troops, police officers, and other security personnel who strive every day to protect Nigerians, this proactive effort has not resulted in equivalent efficacy in the fight against insurgency and insecurity.
Experts have suggested that improper spending and money embezzlement in the procurement procedures for the defense industry may have contributed to the escalation of insecurity. This appears to be supported by anti-corruption agency investigations. What’s worse is that soldiers frequently post on social media about how ill prepared and unmotivated they are.
These difficulties can be partially attributed to the Centre for Democracy and Development’s (CDD) admission that, over the past 20 years, about $15 billion has been lost to dishonest arms deals in the nation.
He also emphasized that Nigerians continue to have serious concerns about Nigeria’s escalating insecurity issues and the impact they are having on the country’s state, economy, and reputation.
“The security issue in Nigeria is serious and becoming worse. According to a recent Business Day article from May 20, 2022, Nigeria’s military spending increased by 56% in a single year, from USD 2.4 billion in 2020 to USD 4.5 billion in 2021. If such statistics are accurate, it suggests that this government has placed a very high priority on bolstering the security agencies, particularly the military, to bolster security against domestic threats.
