How we spent funds for military operations — Buratai

The Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has responded to the joint Freedom of Information request by the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project, the Enough is Enough and the BudgIT requesting him to provide information on spending on military operations across the country, particularly in the northeast.

SERAP Senior Legal Adviser Bamisope Adeyanju said yesterday that Buratai’s “bulky photographic and textual documentation with a cover letter dated 24 December 2018 was delivered to SERAP’s office last Friday by a military officer at around 11:40am.”

The letter, signed on Buratai’s behalf by Brigadier-General S.B. Kumapayi, read in part: “The Nigerian Army (NA) has in recent time come under unrelenting public scrutiny by both private individuals and Non-governmental organizations over issues of appropriation of funds. The most recent being a call from your organization for the Nigerian Army to explain how funds appropriated for the NA under the administration of the Chief of Army Staff were utilized.”

Adeyanju, on behalf of the civil society groups, said: “This is a joint FOI request involving EiE and BudgIT and not just SERAP. Therefore, our groups will carefully study the letter and documentation by Mr Buratai to see if details of the information provided meet the requirements of our request and then promptly respond him, as appropriate.

“A quick look at the documentation shows a list of several projects reportedly implemented by the Nigerian Army. Among those listed and displayed, which appeared to show certain projects the Nigerian Army said it carried out with budgeted funds, include: places where operations were carried out; renovation of barracks and military hospitals, spending to honour late soldiers; trainings and workshops; repairs of some old military equipment; and completion of offices and housing projects. Others are feeding of soldiers; building of new barracks and schools; acquisition of arms and ammunition and vehicles for military operations; as well as provision of welfare for soldiers.” to