Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency on Thursday said there was no illegality in the release of the $1 billion President Muhammadu Buhari approved for the procurement of military equipment.
The Personal Assistant to the President on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, said the release was duly approved by the National Economic Council and state Houses of Assembly.
Onochie, in a tweet posted on her Twitter handle, @Laurestar, advised Nigerians to desist from playing politics with security issues.
She wrote: “The NEC made up of state governors, approved the $1bn given to the military to purchase arms.
“The state Houses of Assembly approved same. There is no illegality in the release of the funds to the military.
“No one should play politics with the security of Nigerians.”
The NEC made up of state governors, approved d $1billion given to the military to purchase arms. The state houses of Assembly approved same. There is no illegality in the release of the funds to the military.
No one should play politics with the security of Nigerians-@AyooAkanji pic.twitter.com/kG61hFNnYr— Lauretta Onochie (@Laurestar) April 5, 2018
The President’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, also re-tweeted the message.
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, had on Wednesday at the end of a meeting Buhari had with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa said the President approved the purchase of equipment worth $1 billion for the nation’s military.
“What I can add, after all that I have said, is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1 billion,” the minister had said.
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, had in December 2017 approved the withdrawal of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to fight insecurity.