The House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on Arms and Ammunition has summoned the Chief of Army Staff, (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim to appear and clarify issues on purchase of arms by Nigerian Army on Wednesday, April 7, at 2.p.m.
The committee also summoned Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emiefele to appear and account for the monies released for purchase of military hardwares on the same date.
The committee was constituted to investigate the purchase of arms and ammunition by the military and paramilitary in the country.
Recall that the officers had earlier on Friday, March 12, 2021 failed to appear before the committee.
The summon was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Rep. Bede Eke (PDP-Imo) at it’s sitting on Monday in Abuja.
Moving the motion earlier, Eke said that the summon became necessary following the refusal of the public officers to honour several invitations extended to them by the committee.
According to the lawmaker, it was time for the committee to take hard decisions against the public officers.
“CBN has been a problem to this house and they cannot operate the way they are operating and this house will keep quiet because we approve their budget.
“What are we asking for? Come and tell us how much we have paid for the purchase of arms; we have given you the right to fare hearing.
“Are you hiding anything? We will not allow it, if there is something you are hiding because you are CBN, we will not allow it.
“People are killed everyday, I want to move a motion because we do not have time; we come here everyday, sit for hours and wait for a government agency.
“I move that we summon especially the COAS and CBN, enough is enough, let them be summoned, that is when they will know we are serious,” he said.
Eke said that the commitee has invited the COAS four times and the CBN Governor five times and they have refused to honour the invitation.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Olaide Akinremi (APC-Oyo) said that committee expected the Ministries of Finance, Defence, Interior, CBN, COAS and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to appear.
He said that the Ministry of Defence had earlier written to the committee to seek a later date to appear and it was granted.
Akinremi said that committee had been waiting for three hours for the invited public officers but they failed to show up.
According to him, the house has already passed a resolution in accordance with the COVID-19 protocols that we should stay more than three hours at committee meetings and we cannot continue to sit here and wait.
The chairman explained that the invitations extended to the public officers are in line with section 88 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
According to him, the section confers powers on this committee to summon any public officer to appear and give account.
Contributing to the motion, Rep. Ibrahim Aliyu (APC-Sokoto) said that the public officer needed to come to terms with the gravity of the investigation.
Aliyu who represents Wurno/Rabah Federal Constituency of Sokoto said that the committee has information and documents and was only giving the officers an opportunity for a fare hearing.
He said that the committee should agree on a date and compel the officers to come and answer to Nigerians