How We Spent $1bn To Acquire Weapons — Defence Ministry

The Defence Ministry on Friday gave further insight into how the
controversial $1 billion released by the President Muhammadu
Buhari’s led Federal Government to procure arms was expended on the
purpose it was released while waiting for the products’ arrival
about three years after.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Musa Istifanus,
who stated this as a guest of honour at the Defence Industry
Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) 2021 Summit in Kaduna added that the
procurement was made to address the security threats currently
bedevilling the country.

According to him, those that were raising dust about the funds
were doing so out of share ignorance of how the funds were used for
the purpose it was raised.

He maintained that “the Nigerian Government had spent N1 billion
dollars in acquiring weapons for the war it is facing.

“Some ignorant people say they have not seen any weapon. I know
where the weapons are. They are yet to come.

“We paid $496millon to the American government and it is getting
to three years now, the Super Tucanos are yet to arrive. Last week,
we received an email that it will come by 21st of July”, he
said.

To DICON he said, “Manpower development, which you identified as
one of the key points which encompass training, is key to the
success of DICON, especially where you will want to use research
and development to chat the course of your success.

“The Federal Government and the Ministry of Defence looks
forward to seeing DICON attain a highly productive and profitable
cooperation in our collective national desire to attain
self-reliance and self-sufficiency in our defence and security
needs”, he said

Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for
Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof M S Haruna,
who was represented at the event by Dr. Ibrahim Onuwo Abdulmalik,
called on business giants like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola and
others to support the Nigerian Industrial Corporation of Nigeria
(DICON) for the security of their investments.

“If we have the richest man in Africa on Nigerian soil, and he’s
not supporting DICON, maybe, we are not even talking to him. We are
not talking to Dangote; we are not talking to Otedola and the rest
of them. We must talk to them because if we are under threat of
external aggressors, their investments are not safe.

“DICON must harness available human and material resources to
meet us and of course, the Federal Government must also come up
with its strategy to reposition DICON to deliver on its mandate by
looking for strategic ways of funding the corporation not just
waiting for the budget he said.

In an address, the new Director-General of DICON, Major General
Moses Uzoh, noted that concerted efforts have been made in the past
to achieve the objectives of DICON, especially as it relates to the
establishment of a military-industrial complex in Nigeria.

“After a painstaking and meticulous assessment of the facilities
on the ground, I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the
operation, if guided on the right strategic direction and with the
needed support and encouragement of all stakeholders, will rise to
the occasion by producing defence equipment that will serve as a
force multiplier in combating the emerging security challenges in
the country.

The Defence Ministry on Friday gave further insight into how the
controversial $1 billion released by the President Muhammadu
Buhari’s led Federal Government to procure arms was expended on the
purpose it was released while waiting for the products’ arrival
about three years after.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Musa Istifanus,
who stated this as a guest of honour at the Defence Industry
Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) 2021 Summit in Kaduna added that the
procurement was made to address the security threats currently
bedevilling the country.

According to him, those that were raising dust about the funds
were doing so out of share ignorance of how the funds were used for
the purpose it was raised.

He maintained that “the Nigerian Government had spent N1 billion
dollars in acquiring weapons for the war it is facing.

“Some ignorant people say they have not seen any weapon. I know
where the weapons are. They are yet to come.

“We paid $496millon to the American government and it is getting
to three years now, the Super Tucanos are yet to arrive. Last week,
we received an email that it will come by 21st of July”, he
said.

To DICON he said, “Manpower development, which you identified as
one of the key points which encompass training, is key to the
success of DICON, especially where you will want to use research
and development to chat the course of your success.

“The Federal Government and the Ministry of Defence looks
forward to seeing DICON attain a highly productive and profitable
cooperation in our collective national desire to attain
self-reliance and self-sufficiency in our defence and security
needs”, he said

Earlier, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for
Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof M S Haruna,
who was represented at the event by Dr. Ibrahim Onuwo Abdulmalik,
called on business giants like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola and
others to support the Nigerian Industrial Corporation of Nigeria
(DICON) for the security of their investments.

“If we have the richest man in Africa on Nigerian soil, and he’s
not supporting DICON, maybe, we are not even talking to him. We are
not talking to Dangote; we are not talking to Otedola and the rest
of them. We must talk to them because if we are under threat of
external aggressors, their investments are not safe.

“DICON must harness available human and material resources to
meet us and of course, the Federal Government must also come up
with its strategy to reposition DICON to deliver on its mandate by
looking for strategic ways of funding the corporation not just
waiting for the budget he said.

In an address, the new Director-General of DICON, Major General
Moses Uzoh, noted that concerted efforts have been made in the past
to achieve the objectives of DICON, especially as it relates to the
establishment of a military-industrial complex in Nigeria.

“After a painstaking and meticulous assessment of the facilities
on the ground, I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the
operation, if guided on the right strategic direction and with the
needed support and encouragement of all stakeholders, will rise to
the occasion by producing defence equipment that will serve as a
force multiplier in combating the emerging security challenges in
the country.