Arms probe: Military seeks Buhari’s nod to try soldiers

If the Nigerian Army authorities get the nod of President Muhammadu Buhari, all suspected serving officers in the ongoing investigation into the $2.1bn arms procurement scandal will undergo military trial, The PUNCH has learnt.

A competent government source confided in our correspondent on Sunday that military authorities had sought the President’s permission for the officers to be prosecuted under the Armed Forces Act.

He said the position of the military was that the Armed Forces Act had made provision for such infractions on the part of military men and how to handle their cases.

 He added that it was the belief of the military that if the indicted officers were tried using the military rule, it would be better than when they were prosecuted by the regular court.The source said the argument for military trial for the officers was further strengthened by the fact that the money, which is the subject of the investigation, was meant for the procurement of arms for the Nigerian Armed Forces.

He said, “The military authorities have suggested to the Federal Government that all serving officers, found culpable in the ongoing investigation into the arms procurement scandal, be tried under the Armed Forces Act rather than being tried in regular courts.

“You may recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has returned Col. Ojogbane Adegbe, the former Aide-de-Camp to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, to the military authorities after he was interrogated.

“A former Military Assistant in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Col. Nicholas Ashinze, had also been confined to the Officers’ Mess by the military authorities after his initial detention by the anti-graft agency.

“The pending request to try and them and 11 other serving military chiefs using the Armed Forces Act may be responsible for this.”

The source, however, said the military authorities had yet to receive the permission to go ahead as of the time of filing this report on Sunday.

He said in arriving at a decision, the President might rely on the advice of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the EFCC.

The Presidency had recently handed over a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), and 17 others, including 11 serving senior military officers and 22 companies, to the EFCC for investigation into the alleged $2.1bn arms deals.

Apart from Badeh, others under investigation are ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal M. D. Umar; a former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Col. N. Ashinze; a former Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosu; the most senior Air Force officer, AVM A. M. Mamu (the Chief of Administration); and AVM O. T. Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters).

Others are AVM R. A. Ojuawo (Air Officer, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi); AVM J. B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); and AVM J. A. Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T. Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings); four top officers at the Defence Headquarters, Air Cdre A. O. Ogunjobi, Air Cdre G. M. D Gwani, Air Cdre S. O. Makinde, and Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa.

Arms probe: Military seeks Buhari’s nod to try soldiers

Boko Haram: We’re changing tactics, says Chief of Air Staff

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeshola Amosun, said in Kaduna on Wednesday that the Nigerian Air Force is changing and updating its tactics in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

Boko haram in Borno

According to him, it will be through a review of operations and -re-training of its personnel.

While assuring Nigerians that in no distance time the military would dislodged the insurgents, Amosun said the military ha d made a significant progress in the war against the Boko Haram sect.  He said this shortly after the 43rd graduation ceremony of students from the Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna.

He said Nigerian Armed Force, especially the NAF was doing everything possible, including updating and changing its tactics as well as training its personnel.

The CAS noted with satisfaction the level of achievements of the Nigerian Air Force so far in tackling security challenges in the country.

Stressing the need for the training of its personnel, Amosun said any institution that is unable to train its manpower is doomed. He added that efforts were also being intensified to completely eradicate all forms of insurgency in the country.

He said with the graduation of 260 aerospace engineers, the new institute was part of the NAF contribution that would help address the national security challenges.

“What we are asking for now is the AFIT Bill before the National Assembly. When passed, it will help us to develop more technologies that will further help in the fight against insurgency in the country,” he said.

Earlier, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, who was guest of honour at the event, commended the giant strides of the AFIT. He said he was aware that the institute was willing and able to surpass its current achievements, given the necessary resources and legal backings.

The Senate President said, “I wish to assure you that the issues of resources and legal backing under the pending AFIT Bill at the National Assembly, is being given an utmost attention.”

Viewed 1 times
Boko Haram: We’re changing tactics, says Chief of Air Staff