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Military Chiefs, Others Steal $15Bn- TI

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Former military chiefs and politicians have reportedly stolen a whopping $15 billion – a sum equivalent to half of Nigeria’s foreign currency reserves – through “fraudulent arms procurement deals” in the last seven years, according to Transparency International (TI).

The fund simply disappeared into private pockets under the guise of procurement of arms and military equipment used in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria.

TI, the global watchdog against corruption in a report exposed pervasive corruption in the defence sector in Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s corrupt elites have profited from conflict; with oil prices at a record low, defence has provided new and lucrative opportunities for the country’s corrupt kleptocrats. Former military chiefs have stolen as much as $15 billion – a sum equivalent to half of Nigeria’s foreign currency reserves – through fraudulent arms procurement deals,” the report stated. But, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has refuted sweeping allegations made against the military by Transparency International.

The report revealed that the Boko Haram insurgency has been fuelled by a high level of public sector corruption involving the top brass of the Nigeria Armed Forces and their civilian accomplices, a situation that has almost eroded the legitimacy of the Nigerian state. The 19-page report entitled, “Weaponising Transparency: Defence Procurement Reform as a Counterterrorism Strategy in Nigeria” exposes the damage corruption has done to the nation’s political stability, counter-terrorism efforts, socio-economic development and well-being of the citizens.

The report was published by Transparency International Defence and Security Programme in collaboration with Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)

According to the report, Nigeria recorded sharp increases in defence spending between 2011 and 2015 as a result of the counterterrorism operations in the North-East, but unfortunately, there was little or nothing to show for it.

“Extra-budgetary spending on counterterrorism has dramatically increased throughout 2014 and into 2015, and with it the scale and scope of corrupt opportunities in the defence sector.

“Corruption has hollowed out the Nigerian Army, the largest in West Africa, and compromised the integrity of the country’s Navy, which has been implicated in the theft of millions of barrels of crude oil in recent years. “The result has been a corrupt war economy that incentivises high-ranking officials and security personnel to perpetuate conflict for personal gain. War has been a boom to Nigeria’s corrupt,” said the report.

The report further revealed that in Nigeria, politicians compete for private control of national coffers, rather than delivering public goods based on the growing needs of Nigeria’s booming population.

It said that under the influence of political connection, the politicians and their military accomplices were able to short-change the system as was seen in the celebrated case former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who is currently standing trial for allegedly diverting funds meant for the counter- terrorism war to foster the political agenda of the government served. “Defence sector corruption in Nigeria has enabled the political elite to accumulate and distribute political patronage. Longstanding military exceptionalism meanwhile, has justified weak and compromised oversight of security-related spending and excessive secrecy.

“By far, the most significant corruption opportunities are those exploited through inflating procurement contract values and creating “phantom” defence contracts. Such contracts are used as a vehicle for money laundering: facilitated via weak or corrupted Nigerian banks, illicit financial flows are often hidden in property in the UK, United States, South Africa and Dubai.”

The report blamed the high rate of corruption in defence contracts on the secrecy associated with whole system, coupled with the general culture of corruption that has eaten deep into all facets of the Nigerian system. The reports said, among other things, that public sector corruption was undermining the state’s ability to address Nigeria’s many socioeconomic underdevelopment, unemployment and insecurity challenges.

According to the report, “Corruption has been particularly destructive in the defence  and security sector. Overlooked in peacetime, defence sector corruption has devastating real world consequences when conflict flares. With lower oil prices, corrupt elites have increasingly exploited alternative illicit revenue streams.

“The secret nature of defence and security budgets has made them the easiest and most lucrative opportunity to exploit. While Boko Haram has constructed a conflict economy geared around pillage, racketeering, and kidnapping; senior players in the Nigerian security sector have also profited from the insurgency.

Creating inflated or phantom contracts is still one of the easiest ways for corrupt actors to steal from the Nigerian defence budget. “In 2014, former NSA Dasuki awarded a $500 million contract for refurbished helicopters to Triax Company Limited. The helicopters have not been deployed. One source in the Nigerian Air Force described the purchase as “pure waste”.

As another source explained, “for the price of each helicopter provided by this contract, the Air Force could have acquired seven top grade, brand new military helicopters.”

Another common tactic in corrupt defence contracting is the use of ‘briefcase companies’: shell companies that exist only on paper. In December 2011, for example, unconfirmed reports surfaced of the MOD seeking six brand new Mi- 17SH military helicopters to support operations against Boko Haram. “The tender was not advertised, and instead, the eight companies were invited to bid for the multi-billion dollar supply contract.

No information is available on any of the companies invited to bid, what goods and services they provide to the defence or any other sector, who their employees are, or who owns them. None appear to have the capabilities to fulfill this contract; suggesting that the beneficiaries are simply set up to give the appearance of multiple bidders competing to lower the price to complete the contract.

“By acting in collusion, however, the multiple bidders are able to increase and artificially inflate the contract price. Some of the bids were in Euros or Pound Sterling, suggesting – perhaps deliberately – links to Europe or the UK, though none could be found. Most of the bids were around US $20 million per helicopter. Yet, an identical helicopter model purchased by the United States came to US $17.5 million per unit, while a similar model sold by Russia to India in 2012 cost US $17 million per unit,” the report said.

The report, however, acknowledged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has taken significant steps to identify and prosecute individuals involved in security sector corruption. In his comment, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Director of CISLAC said: “The defence sector is a juicy target for corrupt military leaders seeking to pad their pockets.

Without increasing transparency and oversight of our most secret sector, we will not succeed in keeping Nigerian wealth in Nigeria. Corruption in the defence sector only helps Boko Haram.”

Meanwhile, Maj-Gen. John Enenche, Director of Defence Information, refuted the allegations while briefing journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

Enenche said that the allegations were false and, therefore, should be disregarded by Nigerians and the international community. He said the present leadership of the Armed Forces had done a lot to train, boost troops’ morale and procure vital equipment through due process for operations against insurgents in the North-East and other operations.

He said the DHQ, Army, Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters had established procurement branches that were guided by the rules and regulations of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP).

He said even the Ministry of Defence was dealing directly with states and governments on Defence equipment procurement without using contractors or vendors any longer. “On this note, it is suspicious that a sweeping statement of corruption against the military officials at this time is rather disheartening.

“More so, the Nigerian Military was, on March 22, credited by the United States of America (USA) as having done very well for fighting insurgency and extremism, among others. “Such an allegation came at the peak of consistent success being recorded in our areas of operational engagements, especially in the North-East,” Enenche said.

The Director of Defence Information explained further that the military operations in the North- East was very obvious, not only to Nigerians, but the whole world, hence the allegation must be treated with utmost suspicion.

“The DHQ is, therefore, assuring the general public that there is no calculated, deliberate or institutionalised corruption in any form within its system,” he said. The DDI concluded by saying: “I susp


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Digital Transformation Can Unlock Nigeria’s Prosperity -NIGCOMSAT Boss

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Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen, managing director, Nigerian Satellite Communications Limited (NIGCOMSAT), has said that the time has come to unlock Nigeria’s true potential, by embracing digital transformation and fostering a culture of innovation as a way to further enhance other sectors like Financial and Insurance (Financial Institutions); Trade; Agriculture (Crop production); Manufacturing (Food, Beverage & Tobacco); Construction; and Real Estate, among others.

Digital Transformation Can Unlock Nigeria’s Prosperity -NIGCOMSAT Boss

She said that over-reliance on the oil sector has created a vulnerable economy in Nigeria.

Egerton-Idehen said this in Nsukka on Saturday while delivering the 20th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture themed, “Harnessing Practical Engineering Solutions for Sustainable Economic Development” held at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium Hall, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

Egerton-Idehen who spoke on the topic “Championing Innovation: Digital Transformation and Economic Diversification in Nigeria,” said that Nigeria has heavily relied on oil production for many years which has not augured well for the country’s economy.

She said that digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies like Robotics, Mobile Internet, Artificial Internet, to radically transform existing traditional and non-digital business processes and services.

According to her “The largest contributor to the nation’s GDP post-1970s was crude oil.  With the oil boom in 1973-74,  it was in the double digits at its highest; it was 40% of GDP until  post-2010 when sectors like Agriculture and ICT started to redistribute that balance.

“Currently, oil contribution to GDP has returned to a single digit — pre-1970 figures, it sits at 6% of GDP today. The oil sector still provides for 95% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and 80% of its budgetary revenues.

“Nigeria, as we know, is a nation brimming with talent and potential, stands at a crossroads. While blessed with abundant natural resources, particularly oil, our economy remained heavily reliant on a single sector for over five decades.

“The price per barrel of oil needed for Nigeria to balance our budgets is– $139, Saudi Arabia $83.8, and UAE $67 (Kullab & Abdul-Zahra, 2020). Current global conditions make this untenable. Oil prices have crashed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other reasons (Alia Alzubair, 2021),” she said.

NIGCOMSAT Boss said further that the vulnerability to fluctuating oil prices exposes Nigeria to external shocks and hinders sustainable growth.

“There are many ways we can frame our road to diversification and non-dependence in the oil sector.

“With our experience with ICT, we can safely assume we could reform, and impact various sectors driving economic growth through digital transformation.

“This could be done by addressing the challenges and harnessing the opportunities, Nigeria can leverage digital transformation as a powerful tool for economic diversification, job creation, and shared prosperity.

In a remark, Prof Charles Igwe, vice-chancellor of UNN said that was one of the first Nigerian nationalists and his opposition to many colonial policies paved the way for the Independence of Nigeria

“Together with Nnamdi Azikiwe he co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC) and became its president.

The VC noted that the Faculty of Engineering initiated the biennial lecture series in order to achieve the following goals; Highlight the faces of a man who has been described as the father of Nigerian Nationalism, Encourage present da engineers, surveyors, architects, and other professional to learn from his professional lifestyles and make every effort to leave good footprints on the sand of time.

Other targets of the HMML series are; To map out strategies and mobilize resources to improve the teaching, learning, and research environment within the Faculty of Engineering and the university at large,, and to identify major National issues of engineering importance, and through the learned discourse proffer engineering solutions to them.

“The theme of this HMML, ‘ Harnessing Practical Engineering Solutions doe Sustainable Economic Development’ is very apt for Nigeria and the world over where sustainability is the current jingle for every developmental solution, and I am happy that very distinguished professionals have gathered here for the discourse,” he said.

Igwe challenged the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and other staff of the faculty to proffer immediate solutions to the energy crisis in the University and its environs.

Also in a remark, Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, dean, Faculty of Engineering, UNN said that the HMML series is one of the longest-running academic lecture series in any Nigeria university, noting that the faculty had instituted the lecture series in honour of Herbert Heelas Macaulay.

“The Faculty of Engineering Board resolved on October 5, 1978, to establish a Memorial Lecture series to be known as HMML, to honour Macaulay; the father of Nigerian nationalism, who trained and practiced as an engineer, architect, and surveyor.

“The first lecture was held in 1980 and has since continued every two years with many distinguished lecturers doing justice to the selected theme that the faculty board carefully selected according to the needs of time.

“This year’s (20th edition) HMML lecturer, Mrs. Egerton-Idehen is the first ever female to feature as an HMML lecturer, and she has chosen a very timely and appealing title for her lecture,” he said.

Ejiogu, who is also director, Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED) UNN, commended Prof. Igwe, UNN- VC and his management team for their support and encouragement in all the endeavours of the faculty.

He also commended other lead paper presenters, relevant stakeholders and the general public who attended and contributed the the success of the 20th HMML.

The occasion was chaired by Prof. Paul Eke, a professor of Digital Technology and System Engineering, Royal Academy of Engineering, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

The highlights of the 20th HMML include; Gown Meets Town, a Technical Exhibition of practical projects of staff and students of the faculty of Engineering and interested private and public sector companies and organizations, with products and services relevant to sustainable economic growth, Technical Symposium and Panel Discussion, Alumni Homecoming Events, Unveiling and Handover of Agbebi Alumni Class of ’85 Building, among others.

 


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NAEC to Deploy Nuclear Science for Power Generation

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), in collaboration with the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria is set to leverage nuclear science and technology to enhance electric power generation in Nigeria.

NAEC to Deploy Nuclear Science for Power Generation

Prof Yusuf-Aminu Ahmed, chairman of NAEC, made this known during the 20th Anniversary Symposium of Nigeria’s first Nuclear Research Reactor-1 (NNR-1) in Zaria.

Prof Ahmed emphasised the accumulated expertise in nuclear power at the center, asserting Nigeria’s readiness to advance to the next stage of power generation through nuclear reactors. “We have utilised the reactor for research and development extensively, and now we are poised to employ it for electricity generation,” Mr Ahmed stated.

He further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has tasked the commission with contributing to Nigeria’s clean energy initiatives, with the nuclear energy programme set to play a significant role, and noted the signing of intergovernmental agreements with some vendors.

Sen. George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation, lauded the 20 years of safe operation of the nuclear research reactor as a testament to Nigeria’s commitment to the safe application of nuclear energy.

He underscored that the successful operation of the nuclear research reactor paved the way for considering a nuclear reactor for electricity generation, echoing President Tinubu’s advocacy for nuclear energy in Nigeria’s power sources.

In his remarks, Prof Sunday Jonah, director of the center, highlighted the event’s purpose of celebrating two decades of safe operation, maintenance, and utilisation of the NNR-1.

However, amidst the achievements celebrated, Prof Jonah expressed concern over a purported attempt by NAEC to wrest control of the center from the university through the proposed NAEC Bill 2022 and cautioned that such a move would contradict the original vision of the center’s establishment within universities, designed to foster a culture of research and development.

 

 

 

 

 


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INTERPOL Appoints Uche, Nigerian CP as Chairman, African Heads of Cybercrime Units

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International Police Organization (INTERPOL), has appointed  Ifeanyi Henry Uche, Nigerian Police Commissioner, as the chairman of the African heads of cybercrime units comprising heads of 54 countries.

INTERPOL Appoints Uche, Nigerian CP as Chairman, African Heads of Cybercrime Units

Uche who is the Commissioner of Police in charge Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF -NCCC) is taking over from Ratjindua Tjivikua, head of Cybercrime of Namibia after his tenure expired.

Speaking at the closing of the Africa Working Group Meeting on Cybercrime on Friday, Uche said, “The high penetration rate of new technologies in Africa increasingly exposes the sub-regional cyberspace as potential targets for cybercriminals as most African countries still have low levels of commitment to cybersecurity.

“It is important that we join the operational sub groups created by INTERPOL to bolster our collective efficiency in the fight against cybercrime in the subregion.

He said, “Resource sharing, the level of information and intelligence among African law enforcement is still at its lowest ebb largely blamed on extant domestic laws.

“I advocate for the establishment of African Incident Response Mechanism and Cybersecurity Frameworks on a Police-to-Police basis to eliminate the bottlenecks impeding free flow of resources.

“We must leverage the INTERPOL NCB 1/247 communication network and existing capabilities with regard to sharing of classified intelligence.”

Uche said this should be done with “Establishment of Specialized Cybercrime Units, noting it is rather unfortunate that most African countries do not have a specialized Cybercrime Unit dedicated for the investigation of Cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime. I implore member states to under-study the Nigeria police model of the Nigeria police Force National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC).

“Investment in Technology, Infrastructure and Capacity building through a deliberate effort by member states to make the multi-million-dollar commitment in acquiring the much-needed technology and digital solution as a prelude to efficient cybercrime response and prevention. We must begin to look inwards by developing indigenous technologies to address our peculiar socio-cultural challenges.

“Legislative support to push the advocacy and lobby the governments to make and enforce robust cybersecurity laws and regulations that address cybercrime effectively. This includes laws on data protection, online privacy, electronic transactions, and cybercrime prevention.

“With the Fourth Industrial Revolution and emergence of Al and IOT, the undeniable reality is that the global cyberspace is undergoing profound and rapid changes given the penetration of new technologies and growing interconnection of the system.

“Though this evolution offers opportunities for innovations, diversification, and cost optimization, it also carries with it increased exposure to new and devastating risks of imminent cyber-attacks. These attacks permeate and affect the entire global digital ecosystem equally with no exception to geographic belts hence it affects businesses of all sizes both in public and private sectors in all regions at a breakneck speed.

“Cybercrime poses a significant threat to our societies, economies, and security”,  he said. “it is imperative that we work together to address this growing challenge. As Chairman, I am committed to lead from the front, fostering the much-desired collaboration among our member Units to enhance our collective ability to prevent and investigate cyber crimes effectively in Africa.

“I consider this as a call to champion the enthronement of a new charter of technological renaissance and home-grown cybersecurity ethics in Africa and a paradigm shift from absolute dependence on external solutions to African nurtured technological initiatives, adaptive to our Socio-Political ecosystem.

In her remarks at the event, Hajia Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim, minister of State, Police Affairs, said, “The Government of Nigeria is fully committed to reforming our police force, recognizing that cybersecurity is an integral component of our national security agenda.

“We understand that a secure cyberspace is essential for our immediate and long-term development objectives. Therefore, we are dedicated to enhancing our cybersecurity capabilities, investing in the necessary resources, and fostering collaboration both domestically and internationally.

“Consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, we are working assiduously to move beyond mere conversations to working with key stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity legal and regulatory frameworks.

“We are working to enhance the provision of the requisite tools, equipment, and facilities to strengthen the cybersecurity architecture of the Nigeria Police Force, and we remain committed to regional and international cooperation mechanisms.”


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