Buratai: Defence ministry received $1bn arms funds
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd.), has denied allegations that he diverted $1bn approved for defence procurement during his tenure, insisting that the funds were released directly to the Ministry of Defence and never passed through his hands or the accounts of the military services.
Buratai said the controversy surrounding the funds was politically motivated and persisted because the ministry had failed to explain publicly how the money was spent and how contracts were awarded.
*Tukur Buratai
Abimbola Joseph
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai (retd.), has denied allegations that he diverted $1bn approved for defence procurement during his tenure, insisting that the funds were released directly to the Ministry of Defence and never passed through his hands or the accounts of the military services.
Buratai said the controversy surrounding the funds was politically motivated and persisted because the ministry had failed to explain publicly how the money was spent and how contracts were awarded.
The former army chief clarified, calling for greater transparency in military procurement and accountability in the management of public funds.
He said the National Economic Council (NEC) approved the $1bn for defence procurement, but the Ministry of Defence handled the entire process, without the Nigerian Army, Navy or Air Force receiving any portion of the money.
“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.
According to Buratai, the allegations first emerged during the 2019 general election, when opposition figures accused the government of diverting the money for electoral purposes.
He said the Federal Government publicly refuted the allegations at the time, but the controversy continued to damage the reputations of service chiefs rather than focus scrutiny on the institution responsible for managing the funds.
Buratai faulted the Ministry of Defence for failing to provide a public account of the disbursement and procurement process.
He argued that responsibility for explaining how the money was spent should rest with the ministry that managed it, rather than military officers who, according to him, had no direct access to the funds.
“The Ministry of Defence must own the procurement record,” he said, adding that accountability must be directed at the appropriate institution.
To strengthen public confidence, Buratai proposed the establishment of a defence procurement transparency portal to publish information on contracts awarded, the companies involved and expected delivery timelines, subject to national security considerations.
“When the media asks where the money went, the answer should come from the ministry that spent it, not from military officers who never touched it,” he said.
He also recommended quarterly accountability bulletins summarising court-martial outcomes involving alleged human rights violations and operational misconduct. However, he said such disclosures must protect the rights of accused personnel and avoid compromising ongoing military operations.
On allegations of human rights abuses by security personnel, the former army chief maintained that credible complaints should be investigated and prosecuted where evidence substantiated them.
“The military is not above the law,” he said, stressing the need for disciplinary procedures that were credible, transparent and capable of addressing misconduct at every level.
Buratai added that better communication by the military and the Ministry of Defence would help address public concerns and ensure that media reports reflected the full context of security operations.
Meanwhile, former Senate President and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Ahmed Lawan, called for a dedicated percentage of Nigeria’s revenue to be allocated to the Armed Forces and other security agencies to improve their capacity to acquire essential equipment.
Lawan said the National Assembly had consistently supported security agencies through budgetary approvals, arguing that national security remained a priority.
He maintained that, during his more than 27 years in the National Assembly, he had not seen an executive request for the armed forces or other security agencies that was rejected.
In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Relations, Air Commodore Steven Ogunmodede (retd.), said Nigeria’s security challenges had become increasingly complex, requiring stronger intelligence, technological investment and cooperation among security institutions.
Musa said terrorist groups, criminal networks and other adversaries were exploiting technology, financial systems and gaps in coordination to advance their activities.
He stressed the need for intelligence-led operations that would enable security agencies to identify threats early, understand criminal networks and respond before attacks occurred.
According to him, investments in surveillance, reconnaissance, communications and data analysis could improve operational effectiveness, but technology must be supported by trained personnel, reliable systems, sound planning and professional judgement.
He cautioned that technological advancement alone could not replace human judgement, discipline and competence in military operations.
The minister added that the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces would continue to pursue measures to improve intelligence coordination, situational awareness and operational effectiveness.
He also called for stronger cooperation across Nigeria’s security institutions, noting that no single agency possessed all the information and capabilities required to tackle the country’s evolving security threats.
