(PRESS RELEASE) $1bn Security Loan: CISLAC Demands Accountability on Security Votes

(NIGERIA) Following the recent submission to the Senate by the President Goodluck Jonathan demanding approval for a foreign loan of $1 billion to finance the fight against Boko Haram insurgents; and the subsequent rejection of such request by the Senate, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) observed that:

In the last four years, trillions of naira financial resources committed to security and defence annually from national budget, yet the fight against the insurgents rages on with deadly consequences.

Giving the daily kidnappings, massacres and destruction of property across the country by the insurgents, various reports are of opinion that upgrading arms and ammunition for the nation's Armed Forces to tackle the insurgents would be of no benefit without constructive strategy to end the unwary attacks.  

Goodluck Jonathan

The degree of destructions on facilities has denied victims of various attacks access to adequate medical attention including the security personnel whose families have been subjected to life-threatening situations as they are not sufficiently compensated following the killings of their love ones.

Apart from being the victims of regular attacks, security personnel are not adequately equipped, fortified and compensated to curtail the attacks; and the degree of attacks by the insurgents have clearly indicated they are well positioned to be at advantage of the ongoing calamity.

While the Armed Forces groan in midst of poor working conditions and inadequate equipment, the Government has showed no appreciative effort to call to account the natural and artificial persons who have mismanaged various security contracts resulting in failure in national security; and consequently making the total sum requested by Federal Government to violate the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) which authorizes borrowing only for capital expenditure and human development.

It is worrisome that such request to obtain whopping sum comes few months to 2015 general elections with the previous allegations of huge sums expend on campaign financing by the present administration; thus threatening the sincerity and honesty of the fundamental purpose of the loan.

The recent lamentation by Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro on the lack of critical military equipment for the military in the last 25 years has further indicated total mismanagement and poor accountability in the nation’s security affairs.

CISLAC therefore, Commends the Senate for its prompt response against such loan that violates the provision of Fiscal Responsibility Act; and calls on National Assembly to bring to account, all persons linked or attributed to mismanagement of security votes since 2011 to date.

Demands immediate and patriotic efforts to recover and return the mismanaged and looted security funds back to the treasury.

Calls for thorough and exhaustive audit of defence spending since the return to civil rule in 1999 by National Assembly and other relevant stakeholders.

Urges the National Assembly and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard duplicitous request to augment security vote without accountability for the past whopping sums allocated to the sector. 

Advises the federal government to instead of subjecting the country to unnecessary debt, exchange the nation’s resource such as crude oil for military hardware like other needy countries have done in the past.

Reminds the National Assembly that it owns Nigerians total accountability in any approval of deceitful request.

Urges the Federal Government to embrace the suggestion of the international communities offering to assist Nigeria to curtail insecurity. 

CISLAC further commends the National Assembly, media and all well-meaning Nigerians who restrained themselves from such request that could further sabotage Nigeria’s economic.

Signed

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

Executive Director of CISLAC