The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Arms and Ammunitions Purchase has summoned the Chief of Army Staff, Major-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, over the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for arms and ammunitions purchase by the military.
This followed the absence of the Chief of Army Staff and the CBN boss at the rescheduled investigative hearing of the Committee on Monday in which the Chief of Army Staff, CBN Governor and other heads of security agencies are billed to appear.
However, after waiting endlessly for over three hours for the top government officials to appear for the probe, the Ad-hoc Committee took the decision to summon them to appear unfailingly on Wednesday, the 7th of April this year.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Olaide Akinremi, issued the summon following a motion moved by a member of the Committee, Bede Uchenna Eke, who was infuriated by the absence of the two invited officials told the Committee that it is time to take a hard stand on the matter.
Bede told the Committee that the absence of the two top officials to the Committee is unacceptable and noted that if they think they can do this and get away with it, then it is an insult to the parliament.
He added that the Chief of Army Staff and the CBN Governor should be summoned immediately by the Ad-hoc Committee to show that they are serious with the investigation.
Members of the Committee said the Chief of Army Staff cannot be seen as a new person in the office as the government is a continuum.
They also noted that the CBN as an institution had repeatedly shunned the invitation of the House on many issues adding that it should respect the institution.
Consequently, when the Chairman of the probe panel put the motion to a voice vote, it was overwhelmingly voted for by the lawmakers.