How Military Officials Use Boko Haram Crisis To Loot Funds – Report

A report by the global watchdog noted that military officers create fake contracts and launder the proceeds in the United States and United Kingdom.

The report alleges that corruption in the military is weakening the country’s efforts to battle Boko Haram.

“Corrupt military officials have been able to benefit from the conflict through the creation of fake defence contracts, the proceeds of which are often laundered abroad in the United Kingdom (UK), United States (U.S.) and elsewhere,” the report read.

“This has crippled the Nigerian military in fighting an aggressive ideologically inspired enemy such as Boko Haram.”

The allegations of misappropriation of funds meant for equipping the military have persistently trailed the battle against Boko Haram.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2015 vowed to end insurgency in the country, which has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.

According to the report, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said around $15 billion had been stolen from the public purse under the previous administration through fraudulent arms procurement deals.

The defence headquarters has strongly dismissed the report as false, saying it was meant to weaken the fight against terrorism.

Defence spokesman, John Enenche accused the agency of seeking to block the international support Nigeria is getting in the war against insurgency, adding that the fight against insurgency has been commended by the United Nations.

According to him, the combined efforts of members of the armed forces have successfully degraded the Boko Haram insurgents, making it difficult for members to regroup and carry out organised attacks.

“The attention of defence headquarters has been drawn to an inciting corruption allegation against military officials, by Transparency International. Let me start by making it clear that this sweeping allegation is false with the following clarifications,” Eneche said at a press conference in Abuja.

“The present leadership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria has done a lot to train, boost troops morale and procure vital equipment through due process, for the North East operations against Boko Haram in particular and other operations.

“The defence headquarters, army, navy and air force headquarters have established procurement branches that are guided by the rules and regulations of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP). The Ministry of Defence deals directly with states and governments on defence equipment procurement without using contractors or vendors any longer.”

Enenche said an allegation of corruption against the military at this time is disturbing.

“More so that the Nigerian military was on 22 March 2017 credited by the U.S. as having done very well to fight insurgency and extremism among others, with advice to other countries to learn from Nigeria.

“That such an allegation is coming at the peak of consistent successes being recorded at our areas of operational engagements, the North East in particular, it must be treated with utmost suspicion,” the defence spokesman said