The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently asked the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to explain to Nigerians what was done with the one billion dollars drawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in 2017 and meant to address the nation’s security challenges. The PDP presumably asked the question as part of its role as an opposition party.

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At this stage, some background information is necessary to put the matter in its proper context so that readers will be properly equipped with the facts of the matter to enable them to properly judge the usefulness or otherwise of the question raised by the former ruling party.

First, President Muhammadu Buhari did not authorize the withdrawal of the money in question from the ECA arbitrarily, or merely for the fun of it. The Associated Press (AP), a credible United States-based global News Agency reported on December 14, 2017 that: “Dozens of Nigerian state governors on Thursday approved the transfer of $1 billion to aid the federal government’s fight against the deadly Boko Haram insurgency.”

The AP story explained further: “The $1 billion will be spent on purchasing security equipment, procuring intelligence and logistics. The decision was made during a meeting of the National Economic Council.”

Based on its own research, the AP noted that “Weapons procurement for the fight against Boko Haram has been marred by a massive corruption scandal in a country where graft is widespread. Nigeria’s former national security adviser faces criminal charges alleging that $2.1 billion meant to buy arms was diverted.”

As a responsible and patriotic leader, President Muhammadu Buhari cannot fold his arms while Boko Haram was killing people, destroying property, hampering social interactions and disrupting  economic activities in the country.

There is evidence that the $1 billion approved by the National Economic Council which includes all the 36 state governors, the Federal Executive Council and endorsed by members of the Legislative arm, was judiciously used and for the specific purpose of equipping the armed forces, the intelligence community and the police to enhance national security.

Readers can readily recall that President Muhammadu Buhari convinced President Donald Trump of the United States to approve the sales of military equipment to Nigeria, including Tucano A-29 fighter planes for the Nigerian Air Force.

On November 28, 2018, the Defence Post, a US publication reports: “Pentagon awards $329 million contract to Sierra Nevada for 12 A-29s for the Nigerian Air Force.”

One of the important features of the transaction and a departure from the opaque practice, was that it was directly conducted between the Government of the United States of America and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

In a statement on the transaction, the Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, affirmed that no middlemen or commission agents were involved, thereby eliminating a hefty cut of the money that would have gone to them. In effect, the transaction was transparent and above board.

The Obama administration had in 2016 blocked the sale of the aircraft to Nigeria for alleged human rights abuse by our gallant troops, but the Donald Trump administration decided to re-activate the process in  2017.

The Defense Post reported that “An estimated $593 million sale of A-29s for Nigeria was approved by the U.S. State Department in August 2017 and included 12 A-29s, weapons, training, spare parts, aviation and ground support equipment, hangar, facilities, and infrastructure.”

Going by this report, half of the $1 billion was spent on the 12 rugged fighter planes and the package that comes with them to ensure that they are kept in top form while in the war against insurgents and other enemies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The report indicated that the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency emphasised that the sale was to support “Nigerian military operations against terrorist organizations like Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, and Nigerian efforts to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.”

More acquisitions of aircraft were disclosed by the Chief of Air Staff, Air  Marshall Sadique Abubakar at a lecture in Jaji to Senior Course 40 as reported by a newspaper on September 28, 2017.

He told his audience at Jaji that the Nigerian Airforce was expecting eight Mi-35M attack helicopters from Russia, and waiting for five Super Mushshak aircraft  from Pakistan, while the Yabhon Flash 20 Remote Piloted aircraft is also expected from the UAE.

He explained further, “The enormous cost of aircraft acquisition and maintenance infers that such should be carved out as extra-budgetary expenditure.”

“From a total of 10 Mi-35M helicopters expected, the service has already acquired two, while an additional two are in the production line and to be delivered soon,” he said.

“Furthermore, out of the expected 10 Super Mushshak primary trainer aircraft procured, five have been inducted into the NAF inventory to enhance flight training,” he continued.

On training, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force has trained 432 personnel abroad and 6,530 within the country between January and December 2018.

More of the procured weapons were delivered to the armed forces in May and October 2018 respectively, and more large consignments were received as recently as on May 20, 2019.  Nigerian media outlets duly reported such deliveries.

The head of Nigerian Army Operation Monitoring Team, Brigadier General Robert Aiyenigba, said the delivery was part of a series of weapons and ammunition that were being delivered to the Nigeria Army.

London-based Alternative Africa on May 29, 2019 quoted the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, as saying that the navy will in the next few months take delivery of new platforms to tackle the growing security challenges in the country.

“The NN has continued to make significant strides in her fleet renewal programme with the induction of several seaward defence boats, riverine patrol boats and construction of other capital ships and aircraft which are expected to join the fleet in the coming months,” he said.

In short, the $1 billion was clearly spent in retooling the military to bolster their combat capability to end the Boko Haram insurgency, fight bandits and kidnappers and make the country very safe for all of us.

By Salisu Na’inna Dambatta

Dambatta, a former director at the Federal Ministry of Finance, writes from

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