An Abuja based group who has persistently called on the Nigerian authorities to point searchlight on the alleged embezzling of funds belonging to the Nigeria military pension fund has claimed that they now have the list of the beneficiaries of the money.
The group agitation began when Pointblank News released a publication on March 16 where it alleged that a whopping sum of N2.5 Billion received from CBN were fraudulently diverted from Military Pension Fund in one day by some top officers.
The Pointblank report stated:“Investigation reveals that Commodore Saburi Abayomi Lawal who is chairman of the Military Pension Board, on December 31, 2020, connived with top military chiefs, looted the over N2.5 Billion wired into the Military Pension account.”
“it gathered from top serving military officers that the sacked service chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Iba, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubarkar, all may have benefitted from the N2.5 billion in December 2020.”
The Pointblank News also claimed to have contacted the Public Relations Officer of Military Pension Board, Flt. Lt. O. Lawal, who queried “Are you EFCC, if you are not EFCC, why asking me? “ And curiously, a press statement was released by the board and purportedly signed by same Flt. Lt. Lawal, which states in part: “For the avoidance of doubt, it is important to state clearly that no fund is missing and no amount of money was illegally transferred from MPB account at the CBN to anyone within or outside Nigeria, apart from qualified military retirees or their NOKs. Our operations are transparent and the records are up to date.”
The group not satisfied with how their efforts to get the authorities look into the matter and even after also calling on the National Assembly who were handling the Arms deal probe to point searchlight on the issue decided to dig deeper and came out with a more concrete prove.
In a statement made available to our organization and signed by Idris Suleiman, he noted that they now have the list of recipients that the money was disbursed to from the Central Bank of Nigeria, while then calling on the Nigeria senate again to carry out an independent investigation so as to get to the root of the matter.
“We are calling on the Nigeria Senate to carry out a proper investigation on the names on the list and how they qualified to shearing from the money meant for the Nigeria Pension Board. He argued that as concerned Nigerians they are not comfortable sitting back and watching some set of Nigerians embezzle the pensions of hardworking Nigeria Army.
Suleiman recalled how the Army Public Relations Brig. Gen. Mohammed Yerima captured the efforts the Nigeria Army is putting in to serve the country quoting him as saying, “The Nigerian army remains the pride of the nation and has continuously defend the territorial integrity of this great nation”.
While maintaining that such high-level commendation of one of Nigeria’s most important public institutions is apt, heart- cheering and gratifying, particularly, for our patriotic officers who have placed the nation above their own lives, willing to die for the love of country.
“These officers, adjudged to be among the best in the world by many observers have proved utmost commitment and preparedness to both local and international assignments anytime they are called upon. More so, in spite of our peculiar ethno- religious, socio- economic and political circumstances, Nigerian army is one of the few institutions that has managed to reduce to the barest minimum, the twin challenge of corruption and vested interest in its official conducts,” they concluded
They stressed that they would not hesitate to lead their members out for a protest if that is what it will take to press home their demand for justice.
Comment:*
Nickname*
E-mail*
Website
