Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd.), has denied handling the $1bn approved for military arms procurement during his tenure, insisting that the funds were released directly to the Ministry of Defence.
Buratai made the clarification on Monday at a conference organised by the Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja, describing allegations that the money was diverted for political purposes as “political and malicious.”
He said the National Economic Council-approved funds never passed through his hands or the accounts of the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force, adding that the Ministry of Defence handled the procurement process.
According to him, the allegations emerged during the 2019 election period, when opposition figures accused the government of diverting the money for electoral purposes. Although the Federal Government publicly denied the claims at the time, he said the controversy continued to damage the reputations of military service chiefs.
Buratai faulted the ministry for failing to publicly explain how the funds were disbursed and how contracts were awarded, stressing that accountability should rest with the institution responsible for managing the money.
He called for the establishment of a Defence Procurement Transparency Portal to publish details of contracts, contractors and delivery timelines, subject to national security restrictions.
The retired army chief also proposed quarterly accountability bulletins on court-martial cases involving human rights violations and military conduct, provided they do not prejudice accused personnel or ongoing operations.
On allegations of human rights abuses by security personnel, Buratai said credible claims should be investigated and prosecuted where substantiated, adding that the military was not above the law.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said military force alone could not resolve Nigeria’s security challenges. He called for better intelligence, modern technology, coordination among security agencies and stronger cooperation with communities.
Idris, represented by the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration was pursuing military modernisation and intelligence-led operations.
He disclosed that Tinubu directed the preparation of a comprehensive National Threat Assessment and a rolling five-year Strategic Defence Operations Plan in August 2026.
The minister also said the President had approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for Armed Forces personnel, effective September 2026.
Idris urged journalists to verify security-related information and report responsibly while continuing to hold government institutions and security agencies accountable.
