House probe of arms purchase: Altercation between army chief and reps

House Probe of Arms Purchase: Altercation between Army chief and Reps
The house probe of arms purchase by the military almost turned to a shouting march Monday as the House of representatives committee engaged in alteraction with the chief of army staff,Lt General Attahiru Ibrahim over the latter’s failure to attend its summons and his attitude to the poser raised by the committee.
It all started when the Chief of Army staff,Lt Gen Ibrahim was asked to explain why he delayed in answering the committee summons by it’s chairman,Honouranle Olaide Akinremi.
In his reply, the Army chief said he has been preoccupied with managing the security crisis in the country adding,”everybody is aware of the security situation and the house too know that we care also working for the country”.
In response to this, Honourable Francis Wave accused the army chief of not being civil in his answer to the house queries.
Tension rose when the committee chairman honourable Akinremi also asked the COAS to provide details of arms purchase he presented to the committee.
In answer to this the army chief replied, “,the details are in the document submitted and they are all self explanatory. The procurement were done by specific individuals and their details are contained in the document submitted”.
This prompted another committee member,Honorable Samson Uturu who replied and chided the army chief for his conduct and answers to questions put to him by the house adding,”be civil when the parliament call you to answer questions”.
According to him,since all those officers who did the procurement were under the army chief he should be civil enough to take responsibility saying,” they are all under you and you should be responsible for their actions “.
In his remark, another committee member,Honourable Bede Eke observed that the COAS has to be placed on oath on his presentations before the house adding,” the COAS has no right to tell us how o do our job”.
At this stage the committee chairman asked the press to excuse themselves from the meeting and it went into a close door which lasted for the next forty five minutes.
No statement was issued after the meeting.
It will be recalled that the house probe was set up after the national security adviser raised an alarm that there was no evidence of arms purchase after the national assembly about two years ago approved $1billion to enable the military prosecute the war against Boko Haram and insurgencies in the country.
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