By Bashir Bello, KANO
A Network of Civil Society Organizations operating in states across the federation has on Tuesday rose from an emergency meeting in Kano to kick against the alleged plot to remove Gen. Babagana Munguno as the National Security Adviser, NSA for the revelation of alleged missing or misappropriation of one billion dollars for the procurement of arms and ammunitions.
The network in a communique issued and signed by the convener, Comrade Ibrahim Waiya said Gen. Munguno’s revelations deserve national honour and respect but not persecution.
Comrade Waiya describes the alleged act of conspiracy against the National Security Adviser as “unpatriotic, uncalled for and a smear on decorum”.
He reiterated the network’s position on the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set up a special panel of investigation into the matter while the National Assembly should support the advocacy for the setting up of the panel of an investigation by the Presidency.
According to him, “the Conference of States Civil Society Networks, wishes to unequivocally throw its weight behind numerous calls across the country for an immediate probe on the alleged $1 billion arms deal, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently proceed by setting up a special panel of investigation into the matter.
“It equally supports the efforts of Government in the fight against corruption, as well as promotion of transparency and accountability in governance.
“We, therefore, feel obliged to remind the National Assembly on their constitutional role of the oversight function, hence a duty to support the advocacy for the setting up of the panel of an investigation by the Presidency on the alleged missing $1 billion released for the procurement of arms and ammunition.”
The convener further said, “Rising from an emergency meeting in Kano, we as a group of reputable Civil Society Organizations operating in different states across the country, resolved to take an exception to the grand conspiracy to have the National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno replaced as a price for telling the truth about the enduring arms deal widely discussed at both national and international platforms. It is on this note we wish to describe the alleged act of conspiracy as “unpatriotic, uncalled for and a smear on decorum”.
“It is our conviction that the singular act of patriotism demonstrated by Major Gen. Babagana Mungono on the revelations over the alleged missing funds released for the procurement of arms and ammunitions, deserves national honour and respect but not persecution on the basis of a personal vendetta by the imperceptible anti citizens and anti-democracy elements, who get pride in promoting impunity and are hell-bent on destroying the reputation and integrity of the country, by cashing on their personal gains and serving the instincts of their arrogance.
“This is a total embarrassment for the Nigerian nation to be enmeshed in yet another round of arms fund scandal with vested interests desperately struggling to kill all efforts aimed at uncovering the truth for Nigerians to know.
‘We wish to canvass for the support of all Nigerians to…
