Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has denied allegations of diversion of the $1 billion approved for defence procurement during his tenure, insisting that the funds were released to the Ministry of Defence and never passed through his hands or the accounts of the Nigerian Army.
Buratai spoke on Monday at the Defence Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria (DECAN) conference in Abuja, where he described allegations surrounding the funds as politically motivated and malicious.
Delivering a lecture titled, “Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security,” the retired army chief said the money was approved by the National Economic Council for defence procurement, with the Ministry of Defence responsible for managing the process.
According to him, the controversy emerged during the 2019 election period when opposition figures allegedly claimed that the funds had been diverted for electoral purposes.
Buratai said the Federal Government publicly refuted the allegations at the time, but regretted that the controversy continued to affect the reputation of service chiefs rather than the institution responsible for the procurement.
“The $1 billion was approved by the National Economic Council for defence procurement. Not a single dollar of that fund passed through my hands or through the accounts of the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force,” he said.
He added that the funds were released to the Ministry of Defence, which handled the procurement process, stressing that the military services did not receive the money to issue procurement directives.
The former army chief faulted the ministry for failing to publicly explain how the funds were disbursed and how contracts were awarded, arguing that accountability should rest with the institution that managed the money.
He called for greater transparency in military procurement, recommending the establishment of a Defence Procurement Transparency Portal to provide information on contracts awarded, contracting entities and delivery timelines, subject to national security considerations.
Buratai said such a platform would help address public concerns and prevent military officers from bearing the brunt of controversies over funds they allegedly did not handle.
“The Ministry of Defence must own procurement records. The $1 billion arms procurement controversy festered because the institution that managed the funds—the Ministry of Defence—remained silent while service chiefs absorbed criticism,” he said.
He added that when questions were raised about defence spending, explanations should come from the ministry responsible for the expenditure.
Buratai also proposed quarterly accountability bulletins summarising court-martial outcomes relating to human rights violations and operational conduct. He said such reports should be published without compromising the rights of accused personnel or ongoing military operations.
On allegations of human rights abuses by members of the Nigerian security forces, the retired general maintained that credible claims must be investigated and prosecuted where evidence substantiates them.
“I have always maintained that where credible allegations exist, they must be investigated and, where substantiated, prosecuted. The military is not above the law,” he said.
He stressed the need for the military to demonstrate that its disciplinary mechanisms were credible, transparent and capable of addressing allegations at every level.
Buratai further called for improved communication by the military and the Ministry of Defence, saying effective engagement with the media would help address public concerns and ensure that reports on security operations reflected the full context.
Meanwhile, DECAN President, Odita Sunday, called for the increased deployment of modern technology in Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations.
In his opening address, Sunday identified artificial intelligence, data analytics, satellite surveillance, unmanned systems and secure communications as tools that could significantly strengthen the capabilities of security agencies.
He, however, warned that technology alone could not guarantee success without competent personnel, adequate training, effective institutions, inter-agency cooperation and sound policies.
